Back into the swing of a new working year and already feeling exhausted? Help is at hand. We’ve enlisted leading workplace nutritionist, Linda Munster, to provide tips and advice to kick-start your return to work. With a few simple dietary changes, you can make 2016 the year you conquer the mid-afternoon slump and become a power-house of productivity. Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of Linda’s book, No Caffeine Required.
Apples Michael Stern
What sparked your interest in workplace nutrition?
In my twenties, long before I trained as a nutritional therapist, I worked for a large corporate bank with constant deadlines and pressure. I would usually have a carb-heavy lunch such as a giant baguette and then wonder why I would often find my head on the desk in the middle of the afternoon! I know that my productivity levels would have suffered badly and my employer was definitely not getting the best from me.
Years later, I realised that poor food choices and bad eating habits were the major cause of my tiredness and once I started to make better choices my energy levels soared – in fact, I felt so much better in my late thirties and forties than I did in my twenties! As the majority of my clients are busy working people, many of whom I’ve helped overcome the dreaded mid-afternoon slump, I was keen to spread the healthy eating message to the workplace and through my talks I have helped hundreds of people enjoy a much more productive day by making simple changes to their diet.
No Caffeine Required
What difference does nutrition make to our performance at work?
A massive difference! If you can make good food choices and keep your blood sugar balanced by avoiding the really sugary, carby foods that set you off on a ‘rollercoaster’, then you will definitely have a far more productive and energised day and won’t need a constant supply of sugar and caffeinated stimulants to get you through.
What are the easiest and most effective dietary changes that office workers can make?
Start the day as you mean to go on – so a nice protein-rich brekkie such as eggs or slices of chicken or smoked salmon with a piece of toast for breakfast will keep you satisfied for hours so that you don’t have to keep dipping into the biscuit tin or raiding the vending machine! If you don’t have time to eat breakfast at home, prepare the night before and take into the office.Non-starchy vegetables (the ones that grow above the ground) should ideally accompany every meal as they’re packed with nutrients that keep you energised and alert – and they’re extremely low in sugar.
There’s generally something for everybody so apart from the tomatoes and cucumber start exploring the veg section and introducing some more of these super foods into your life. Instead of the biscuits, cereal bars etc for your snack go for a piece of fruit such as an apple or pear with a handful of nuts which provide both protein and good fats to keep hunger at bay.
Ensure your lunch always has adequate protein (eggs, chicken, fish, beans etc) and keep the starchy carbs / grains to a minimum. E.g. a small or half jacket potato with plenty of tuna and salad. Too much bread can almost guarantee the post lunch slump so limit to 1 slice and focus more on the protein and salad/vegetables.
As my book title suggests, I’d reduce the caffeinated drinks – tea, coffee, coke (only recommended for cleaning loos!) – to no more than 2 cups a day, but do it gradually to avoid the dreadful withdrawal headaches! Ensure you have 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day to keep your brain functioning properly.
No Caffeine Required
Do you have any tips on how to break bad eating habits at work? Stock up on nuts, seeds, oatcakes, veg sticks (celery, carrot, cucumber, sugar snaps) – it’s important to plan ahead with these because if you haven’t got them you’ll end up making bad choices. For every cup of tea or coffee you have, have a glass of water to stay hydrated.
Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day so make changes gradually and most importantly, be kind to yourself in the process.
It’s always more motivating to work with others so change your habits together as a team: nominate a Chief Water Bottle Monitor (make sure that bottle’s finished by end of day), a Nut Dispenser, a Fruit & Veg Provider etc. and every time anyone dips into the biscuit tin they have to throw a pound into another tin!
Banish the vending machine and remove temptation! It’s so much easier to change habits if you’re not constantly having to exercise willpower – we’re all only human!
What’s your number one recipe for an easy wholesome, home-made lunch?
Quinoa with salad and mackerel / salmon / chicken / feta / eggs / chickpeas. Find time to spend at least 10 minutes chopping all your favourite veg – cucumber, celery, tomatoes, avocado, radishes, fennel, pepper etc. Add a handful of leaves e.g. rocket, some herbs e.g. parsley and some seeds e.g. pumpkin, sunflower. Then mix in the quinoa which you can buy pre-cooked in pouches or you can make a batch yourself.
You cook it very much like rice but don’t use too much water – around 1 cm above quinoa surface in the pan is enough. Bring to the boil, add some Marigold stock for a bit of flavour, then put lid on and simmer for 13 minutes (my magic number!). The water should be fully absorbed and the quinoa light and fluffy. You can make a dressing from olive oil, apple cider vinegar and mustard. Always make/prepare at least twice as much as you need so you’ve got something for a couple of days. So nutritious and will keep you going for the rest of the day.
What’s your number one tip for a healthy snack to satisfy the dreaded 4.00pm sugar cravings?
Always ask yourself “where’s my protein?” with every meal including snacks as protein keeps you fuller for longer. So an apple with 5 walnuts and 5 almonds would be perfect. Eat your snack before you’re ravenous or you’ll end up overeating! Cravings occur when you don’t give your body/brain what it needs so ensure you have a good balance of protein/fat in your snack to satisfy you.
No Caffeine Required
What inspired you to write your book – No Caffeine Required?
I am passionate about healthy eating as I’ve seen in my practice the difference it’s made to so many of my clients’ lives. Whilst I enjoy my one-to-one consultations I take particular delight in giving talks, particularly to companies, thus inspiring lots of working people to take control of their health and live a better, healthier and more productive life – both in and out of the office. As I was always giving out handouts I decided to consolidate everything I had learnt in a book to enable me to spread the message even further. In the book I have created the POWERTM Eating Programme, which has proved to be a really helpful guide to healthy eating in a truly balanced way. You’ll have to read the book to find out what POWER stands for but I can disclose that the P stands for protein!
Linda is available for lunch break talks for companies on-site or by webinar. To arrange an appointment, contact: info@nocaffeinerequired.com.
To win a copy of No Caffeine Required, let us know what one single dietary change you intend to make to eat well at work in 2016.
By entering this competition, you will not be added to any mailing lists. The deadline for the competition is midnight on Friday 12 February 2016. The winner will be chosen at random by Linda Munster.
This year, I will be making my own soups and bringing them into work
Sounds great. Which soup is it today?
I need to reduce on the bread.
Always a great idea if you want to cut down on bread to keep those energy levels going… what are you going to have instead? Less bread, more veg so you could have the contents of your sandwich in a salad and ditch the bread all together or have just one slice of bread and put an iceberg lettuce leaf over the top to hold in the contents. Good luck 🙂
To have a smoothie instead of a chocolate snack
Great idea – have you ever added avocado to your smoothies? Too much fruit in a smoothie could spike your blood sugar, leaving you tired and hungry shortly after so having some veg in there too and even some mixed seeds will bulk it up, keeping you more satisfied. A favourite of mine is avo, cucumber, spinach and half an apple with some chia seeds.
I’m going to cut out Chocolate on six days of the week xx
Alternating my black tea with a fruit tea or hot water
That’s a lovely way to reduce the caffeine – well done 🙂
Sir Rodger Banister told me to become a vegetarian and run every day to cure my epilepsy- It worked.
You certainly can’t argue with Sir Roger! So glad it’s worked for you
I’m planning on cutting down on my sugar intake…not totally, but significantly. I also need to snack less. MFP has made me realise way too many of my calories come from snacks.
I’m a pesta-teraian, I have brought new recipient books including Greens and Vegan to look at what food I need for my body, nutrition, vitamins and protein. Cutting out sugar and salt in drinks and food x
Making my own sandwiches. Most bought sandwiches have mayonnaise in, which I hate, so the plan is to make my own AND save so much money in the process .
I am drinking more green tea this year.
Great advice, nutrition is so important!
I’ll think colour – veg can be so versitile, the more colour, the more fun, the more fun, the more worthwhile
Getting organised, and making tasty, healthy lunch boxes for me and my other half. Not only am I saving money, but eating better too…
Drink even more water
no cakes in the office
I never have breakfast but am really trying each morning to eat before I leave the house to improve my energy levels
This year I will try and have fruit instead of sugary snacks .
Cut down on the bread.
Drink more water
Cut down on sugar but eating more fruit instead of chocolate.
None at the moment, need to get my head into gear first
Great tips it’s not easy to eat well at work!
im going to put less sugar in my cup of coffee
Diet and wellbeing has been a hot topic in my office already this year, we have a supply of lemons to have a refreshing detoxing lemon water instead of a coffee also helping us feel fuller to stop snacking before lunchtime. This book looks exactly what we need for a healthy office
Trying to have a fruit and veg smoothie everyday
Swapping coffee for green tea
Replacing my bad snacking with apples.
I have reduced my carbs and increased my protein – I feel so much better for it and it helps with losing weight too. I stay fuller for longer.
Eating meals and maybe 1 or 2 snacks throughout the day but NOTHING in between. I’ve always been a grazer!
drink more water
This year, I have already replaced some very bad snacking habbits (crisps, crisps and more crisps!) with more fruit and nuts.
I will be switching from lots of milk chocolate to small amounts of 85%+ dark chocolate!
I need to reduce my bread intake!
Stop eating chocolate & drink less coffee!
Cutting down on the bread and making more soup as got a soup maker
I am trying to make some life changing swaps, more veg with evening meals, and less sugary snacks throughout the day, and have managed to cut the caffeine down to just 2 cups, slowly getting there 🙂
I’ve stopped drinking Diet Coke and I am sleeping so much better.
I’m cutting down on the sugar, if I need a sweet ‘fix’ I’ll have an apple or a pear!
Eat more home made soup.
I really need to cut down on the salt! I just find I add it to everything to help the flavour and stuck in this routine
Less crisps!
Im going to drink more water
To make my own salad or snacks to take in so I don’t end up buying sugary snacks for energy.
I have started taking to work more fruit and nuts to nibble on throughout the day thanks
Fruit or veg with every meal and as the core component of any snacks. Going to blitz my 5 a day!!
need to reduce on the bread.
I am cutting out eating bread during the working week at lunch times.
Always on the look out for more ways to eat & stay healthy
more fruit and veg x
drink more water
A dood breakfast, then I wait for a salad at night.
Eat smaller portions and avoid snacking
I have reduced the caffeine that l drink by drinking herbal tea
Nice content and guide that everyone can refer through it. As much as possible healthy snacks must be put to vending machines.