ASK THE NUTRITIONIST
Goals at Work
By Shani Taub, CDC
Q
How can I maintain healthy habits at the office? I’ve been on and off a healthy eating plan for several months now, and I’m still struggling. I’ve noticed that I primarily trip up at my workplace. Between mindless bingers around me, extravagant lunches every two weeks or so, and no time to properly prepare, I feel like I’ve failed before I even begin. Is it possible to maintain healthy habits when the environment doesn’t espouse those goals? What tips and ideas can you share that will help me overcome my struggles at work?
I like your question because it extends far beyond the workplace. Everyone on a weight-loss journey will encounter obstacles that make reaching their goal a struggle. For some, it’s a stressed morning with the kids or coming home exhausted with no energy left to prepare a nourishing meal, and for others it’s the unstructured weekends or social eating at events and simchos. Here’s something to keep in mind: Whenever we ascribe fault to a certain circumstance, time, or place, it’s essentially the brain trying to finagle its way out of what it perceives as too challenging. This isn’t a sentiment that feels good to hear, but if we absorb it with an open mind, we’ll realize how true it is—and that will ultimately help us achieve what we’re really aiming for. It’s easier to say, “My workplace is just not conducive to dieting” or “I have too many simchos this season to take 30
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control of my eating habits,” than to work on said habits. As with everything else in life, if we’re looking for excuses, we will find them, and if we’re serious about making change, no excuse will stand in the way. Thus, my advice to you is a suggestion to make that mindset switch and start telling yourself a different narrative. Sure, setting goals and reaching them is usually a journey of easier days and harder ones. It’s certainly not easy to keep at what you’re doing when there are various temptations, such as the ones you describe, in your environment. Working on our habits is so much about being in the right environment, and when this variable is not in our favor, it definitely is more difficult. But it’s not impossible. With confidence and a commitment to your resolutions, you’ll find a way to make it work—even at work. Toward this end, it’s helpful to remain mindful of why you’re doing what you’re doing and how the various obstacles that come up along the way will only hinder you from attaining what’s exponentially more beneficial to you. This also entails making sure that your weight-loss goals aren’t extreme or unhealthy. Once you’ve ascertained that your endeavor is really good for you, you can view your “temptations” with more presence of mind. That extravagant lunch may taste good in the moment, but what kind of impact will it have on your goals? How will constant par-
