Office socials are so much fun, aren’t they? You get a chance to unwind and engage in small talk with those you work with. Whether it’s the end of tax season or you just signed a huge account, office social festivities provide just the kind of celebration you need.
On the other hand, they also give you a huge opportunity to wreck your diet! Because they’re celebratory, office socials usually provide yummy treats that pack on the calories and pounds.
As much as you want to celebrate like the rest of them, it’s important that you keep your diet in check.
Take these precautionary steps to enjoy office festivities without over-indulging:
1. Limit pre-party calories. It’s important to balance meals throughout the day. If you know you’re going to an office celebration, it’s okay to keep those earlier meals slim.
- Keeping meals slim means limiting calories and eating just the essentials. It’s a great way to ensure you’re still fed, but in a healthy way. It also allows you to save extra calories for the evening ahead.
- It also helps if you increase your water intake leading up to the festivities. Drinking water sometimes eliminates that feeling of hunger, which may actually be due to thirst.
- It may be a good idea to have breakfast at home and pack a light lunch. You’ll save money earlier in the day and have more to spend later on. You’ll also have full control over what goes into your meals and mouth!
2. Get your workout in. Create a caloric deficit before the festivities by exercising. It’s a great way to make room for the little bit of indulgence you’ll be doing later in the day.
- Ensure you get to bed early the night before. That way, you’ll wake up feeling refreshed and ready to exercise. It’s unwise to work out vigorously when you’re exhausted!
- Considering that you’ve gotten enough rest, combine exercises that burn the most calories. Often times, that’s a combination of cardiovascular exercises and strength training. You want the maximum burn you can get your hands on!
- Give yourself enough time after your workout to cool down. Stretching also helps with balancing out your mood. Morning workouts can sometimes mess with your mood if you leave out the post-workout cool down.
3. Choose one favorite indulgence. So the social event is finally here! If you’ve gotten your pre-workout done and limited your caloric intake, now you can partake in the office festivities without feeling guilty.
- If you’re not privy to the menu beforehand, make a mental commitment to stick to one indulgence. It’s possible that you’ll be shocked by seeing many of your favorites on display. But vow to partake in only one. As long as you stick to one indulgence, you’ll be good.
- Keep your intake of low-sugar liquids high during the festivities. They’ll give you a sense of fullness so the cravings are kept at bay.
- Enjoy it slowly. When you eat slowly, you’re able to savor the flavors. You’ll likely feel quite satisfied when you take this approach.
You can totally enjoy the office social festivities without over-indulging. And when you’re in doubt, find a group of co-workers and engage in enlightening conversation. That will help take your mind off the goodies.
Remember that you’ll want to be proud of yourself at the end of the day. Make smart food choices so you avoid having regrets later on.
