You do so well the whole day resisting, but then its 3:23 and you’ve somehow just inhaled 4 mini Mars bars? What happened?? I remember working in an office, trying my hardest to lose weight or stay the weight that I was, but everywhere I looked, I felt like the forces were against me! One could only hold out for so long especially against (gasp) the Birthday Ice Cream Cake… If you’re trying to stay on track, and it’s very difficult for you to say no to sweets (as it was for me at one point), this environment can absolutely derail all your hard efforts. However, it doesn’t really have to be this way. I’ve been there and I also managed to navigate that minefield while still losing weight. Here are a few of my favorite tips on how to do just that:

1. BYOT – bring your own treats! For one of my clients, its 85% dark chocolate that does the trick. She’ll keep it in her desk and nibble on a few bits after lunch, or right before the “Birthday Cake” celebration to avoid temptation. If dark chocolate isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other healthy options. Having them on hand is key.
2. Hydrate – did you know that mild thirst can in fact manifest itself as hunger? It’s true! Next time you’re eye-ing that box of cookies, take a moment and drink a cup of water (or herbal tea) and see what happens to the craving.
3. Move it! The junk I mean. If someone kindly set a bowl of candy on your desk, genuinely thank them, but feel free to let them know that you’re really going to stick to your health goals this month. Then move the sweets elsewhere, out of your periphery. Does it feel awkward saying “no thanks”? Maybe. But would you prefer to keep buying bigger pants? The closer treats are to you, the more you will mindlessly eat (proximity = volume consumed).

Unfortunately most of the office environment is out of our scope of control, but we can make avoiding temptations easier with a few key tools. As a Health Coach, I work with my clients not only to find healthier alternatives, but to also work through the sugar addiction so that those “treats” are no longer a temptation. Everyone’s different so try & retry until you find what works for you.

If you’ve found a strategy that’s been working great, please share in the comments below!

About the Author: Irina Kachalenko is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, with a Psych BA and owner of Vibrant Healthy and Whole. She integrates both approaches to help busy professionals take control of their eating habits, implement sustainable health routines, so that they are finally able to let go of the excess weight, detox naturally, and pursue the big life goals with confidence and passion.