Comments on: Your Thoughts Wanted: Office Snacks http://www.geek-fitness.com/2008/02/14/your-thoughts-wanted-office-snacks/ For anyone stuck behind a desk who wants to be more active, lose weight or just improve their health Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:11:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: monica http://www.geek-fitness.com/2008/02/14/your-thoughts-wanted-office-snacks/#comment-297 monica Thu, 14 Feb 2008 22:14:06 +0000 http://www.geek-fitness.com/2008/02/14/your-thoughts-wanted-office-snacks/#comment-297 I am a baaaad snacker. Or a good snacker, depending on your perspective. I DO snack, but I avoid the various cakes and candies that people bring in and scatter about the office like fat crumbs waiting to collect on my ass. My snacking routine is usually a banana with ~5 almonds at 10am, then in the afternoon at 3ish, I have an apple or some raw veggies. Sometimes I bring in plain chickpeas to munch on, or a clementine orange (which I love to dip into natural yogurt!). On top of that, I drink copious amounts of tea. I think "avoiding snacks as a rule" is necessarily true. If you can spread out your calories over smaller meals, a couple of nutritious snacks a day can actually keep your metabolism fired and you burn more calories as a result. Of course, this takes a bit of discipline... and planning... I did the 6-meals a day thing for a while and it was ROUGH. But it's true that it stoked my metabolism. I was energetic and constantly hungry at the same time! Kind of cool, and kind of annoying. Now I have 3 meals a day and my 2 snacks. It works for me.... for now.... I am a baaaad snacker. Or a good snacker, depending on your perspective. I DO snack, but I avoid the various cakes and candies that people bring in and scatter about the office like fat crumbs waiting to collect on my ass. My snacking routine is usually a banana with ~5 almonds at 10am, then in the afternoon at 3ish, I have an apple or some raw veggies. Sometimes I bring in plain chickpeas to munch on, or a clementine orange (which I love to dip into natural yogurt!). On top of that, I drink copious amounts of tea.

I think “avoiding snacks as a rule” is necessarily true. If you can spread out your calories over smaller meals, a couple of nutritious snacks a day can actually keep your metabolism fired and you burn more calories as a result. Of course, this takes a bit of discipline… and planning… I did the 6-meals a day thing for a while and it was ROUGH. But it’s true that it stoked my metabolism. I was energetic and constantly hungry at the same time! Kind of cool, and kind of annoying. Now I have 3 meals a day and my 2 snacks. It works for me…. for now….

]]> By: Dave http://www.geek-fitness.com/2008/02/14/your-thoughts-wanted-office-snacks/#comment-299 Dave Fri, 15 Feb 2008 08:47:24 +0000 http://www.geek-fitness.com/2008/02/14/your-thoughts-wanted-office-snacks/#comment-299 "fat crumbs waiting to collect on my ass" That may be the best phrase I've ever heard. I hear what you're saying about 6 meals vs 3 meals + snacks. That's pretty much my thinking. I eat meals that are too large (I have bad portion control), so I'm looking at ways to spread my calories through the day. 2 lunches should be easy to start with, both smaller that my current 1. It's the evening meals that are really tricky though - I have lunch at 1 and dinner at 8 (or later). After a 7 hour break, I'm ravenous and eat far too much. Maybe a couple of snacks in the meantime will help. “fat crumbs waiting to collect on my ass”

That may be the best phrase I’ve ever heard.

I hear what you’re saying about 6 meals vs 3 meals + snacks. That’s pretty much my thinking. I eat meals that are too large (I have bad portion control), so I’m looking at ways to spread my calories through the day.

2 lunches should be easy to start with, both smaller that my current 1. It’s the evening meals that are really tricky though - I have lunch at 1 and dinner at 8 (or later). After a 7 hour break, I’m ravenous and eat far too much. Maybe a couple of snacks in the meantime will help.

]]> By: Bob Stein http://www.geek-fitness.com/2008/02/14/your-thoughts-wanted-office-snacks/#comment-310 Bob Stein Sat, 16 Feb 2008 17:40:10 +0000 http://www.geek-fitness.com/2008/02/14/your-thoughts-wanted-office-snacks/#comment-310 Pumpkin seeds! Not the white ones in their shells with tons of salt, but the hulled green ones. Lots of protein and fiber. The raw ones are very good and probably the healthiest. They take time to chew, which is sort of a boon. (Slow eating means less eating.) Best of all you can eat and keep your hands clean, so as long as you don't drop them in the keyboard, they are workstation safe. But the salted roasted pumpkin seeds are sooooo delicious. The roasting puffs them up light so they're a little easier to chew. Salt gets on your hands though, so not workstation friendly. The ultimate would be roasted unsalted, but I've never seen those. I also recommend an apple peeler device that peels and cores and slices apple thin with one crank motion. If URLs work you can see lots here http://images.google.com/images?q=apple+peeler I could almost live off nuts and fruits. Pumpkin seeds! Not the white ones in their shells with tons of salt, but the hulled green ones. Lots of protein and fiber. The raw ones are very good and probably the healthiest. They take time to chew, which is sort of a boon. (Slow eating means less eating.) Best of all you can eat and keep your hands clean, so as long as you don’t drop them in the keyboard, they are workstation safe. But the salted roasted pumpkin seeds are sooooo delicious. The roasting puffs them up light so they’re a little easier to chew. Salt gets on your hands though, so not workstation friendly. The ultimate would be roasted unsalted, but I’ve never seen those.

I also recommend an apple peeler device that peels and cores and slices apple thin with one crank motion. If URLs work you can see lots here http://images.google.com/images?q=apple+peeler I could almost live off nuts and fruits.

]]> By: Tpod http://www.geek-fitness.com/2008/02/14/your-thoughts-wanted-office-snacks/#comment-331 Tpod Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:02:47 +0000 http://www.geek-fitness.com/2008/02/14/your-thoughts-wanted-office-snacks/#comment-331 Hi Dave, I don't snack at work. I don't bring snacks to work, I have no way of buying them at work and I don't feel the need to drop everything mid-afternoon to go buy snacks. So that's that! I do, however, eat like a warthog at lunch. I wonder if it is wrong to avoid eating a 250cal chocolate bar at 11am in favour of eating a 500cal slab of cake at lunchtime? I'll let you know when I find the answer... Maybe it's worth expanding your question to what people eat in the office in general, regardless of snacking? Hi Dave,

I don’t snack at work. I don’t bring snacks to work, I have no way of buying them at work and I don’t feel the need to drop everything mid-afternoon to go buy snacks. So that’s that!

I do, however, eat like a warthog at lunch. I wonder if it is wrong to avoid eating a 250cal chocolate bar at 11am in favour of eating a 500cal slab of cake at lunchtime? I’ll let you know when I find the answer…

Maybe it’s worth expanding your question to what people eat in the office in general, regardless of snacking?

]]> By: Brandon http://www.geek-fitness.com/2008/02/14/your-thoughts-wanted-office-snacks/#comment-337 Brandon Thu, 21 Feb 2008 15:49:39 +0000 http://www.geek-fitness.com/2008/02/14/your-thoughts-wanted-office-snacks/#comment-337 I'm not opposed to eating snacks throughout the day as long as they are under the 200 calorie mark. Anything over this and I almost consider it a meal. If I'm starving between meals I may buy a bag of peanuts and eat only half the bag (1/2 serving) instead of the whole bag with 300+ calories. Other snacks I like are dried fruits and nuts like the others have said. A good idea though is to drink lots of water or black coffee or unsweet tea throughout the day. This will put something in your stomach without adding any calories to your day. I’m not opposed to eating snacks throughout the day as long as they are under the 200 calorie mark. Anything over this and I almost consider it a meal. If I’m starving between meals I may buy a bag of peanuts and eat only half the bag (1/2 serving) instead of the whole bag with 300+ calories. Other snacks I like are dried fruits and nuts like the others have said.

A good idea though is to drink lots of water or black coffee or unsweet tea throughout the day. This will put something in your stomach without adding any calories to your day.

]]> By: Jeremy Karney http://www.geek-fitness.com/2008/02/14/your-thoughts-wanted-office-snacks/#comment-367 Jeremy Karney Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:21:08 +0000 http://www.geek-fitness.com/2008/02/14/your-thoughts-wanted-office-snacks/#comment-367 Great Question! I lost 60lbs last summer, and I could not have done it without the occasional snack to keep me full. I love trail mix (1/4 cup at a time). It's easy to scarf down, so watch out, but if you eat it slowly it can be very filling. I also love bananas with a little peanut butter (1tbps per banana) or Apple's and peanut butter. Great Question! I lost 60lbs last summer, and I could not have done it without the occasional snack to keep me full.

I love trail mix (1/4 cup at a time). It’s easy to scarf down, so watch out, but if you eat it slowly it can be very filling.

I also love bananas with a little peanut butter (1tbps per banana) or Apple’s and peanut butter.

]]> By: Dave http://www.geek-fitness.com/2008/02/14/your-thoughts-wanted-office-snacks/#comment-389 Dave Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:37:03 +0000 http://www.geek-fitness.com/2008/02/14/your-thoughts-wanted-office-snacks/#comment-389 TPod: Given the amount you run, I don't think you're going to have much of a problem with a slive of cake at lunch once in a while! :) Brandon: I've cut down on sugar in tea (half a treaspoon now) and none at all on coffee, plus drinking plenty of water. Occasionally, though, I find myself craving something sweet. 60lbs! Wow, Jeremy, that's good work! Peanut butter as a snack I hadn't considered, but that sounds great. TPod: Given the amount you run, I don’t think you’re going to have much of a problem with a slive of cake at lunch once in a while! :)

Brandon: I’ve cut down on sugar in tea (half a treaspoon now) and none at all on coffee, plus drinking plenty of water. Occasionally, though, I find myself craving something sweet.

60lbs! Wow, Jeremy, that’s good work! Peanut butter as a snack I hadn’t considered, but that sounds great.

]]> By: Dave K http://www.geek-fitness.com/2008/02/14/your-thoughts-wanted-office-snacks/#comment-390 Dave K Tue, 01 Apr 2008 03:12:10 +0000 http://www.geek-fitness.com/2008/02/14/your-thoughts-wanted-office-snacks/#comment-390 I use a three-pronged technique to keep my weight from getting out of control: Pre-portioned snacks. usually those 100-calorie snacks that come from several manufacturers in many varieties. And a few "free" foods like baby carrots and celery. The other part is paying close attention to exactly what I'm craving for at the moment and eating it, so I feel satisfied faster. Cuz sometimes I want sweet or salty or crunchy or spicy or quantity specifically. For when I simply need to chew, I keep a bunch of flavors of sugarless gum. I use a three-pronged technique to keep my weight from getting out of control:

Pre-portioned snacks. usually those 100-calorie snacks that come from several manufacturers in many varieties. And a few “free” foods like baby carrots and celery.

The other part is paying close attention to exactly what I’m craving for at the moment and eating it, so I feel satisfied faster. Cuz sometimes I want sweet or salty or crunchy or spicy or quantity specifically.

For when I simply need to chew, I keep a bunch of flavors of sugarless gum.

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