All alone in the office – snack time?

There’s something about being on your own in the office that makes snacking so much more tempting. Last Thursday, I was the only one in mine (due to a combination of a big conference and a holiday dragging all my desk-mates away) … and the lure of the corner shop was strong.

Why is it that we’re so much more likely to eat “bad” foods when people aren’t watching? Do we really kid ourselves that the “calories don’t count” if no-one sees? Maybe it’s because we can crunch away on a bag of Kettle Chips without getting stared at by our co-workers … or because we’re afraid that people will secretly scorn us for “breaking” our diet.

My tip is …

… give in!

(Go ahead, read that sentence again.)

Think of the one snack you really want. Triple chocolate chip cookie? Butter toffee popcorn? Yoghurt coated raisins? Cashew nuts? Anything you like – but it has to be a snack-sized portion and it has to be just one thing.

Mine was a Kinder egg. I haven’t had one in years, but used to love them as a child. They’re only about 120 cals (20g chocolate) and have a little toy inside. So yes, I succumbed to the urge to snack – but I went for something that I really wanted, something that put a smile on my face for the afternoon, and something that left me satisfied rather than wishing I had picked a different treat.

And I now have a little toy car sitting on my monitor at work…

(Image above by miki)