Psychologist Dr Meg Arroll answers your most commonly asked work-related weight-loss questions
Q: How does working life affect eating behaviour?
A: Work-related stress has a big impact on eating behaviour and disruptive and unhelpful eating patterns can be a common symptom of chronic stress. Long hours, never truly escaping email and a work culture that values productivity above health and wellbeing all play a part.
Q: How can I you avoid work related eating pitfalls?
A: Keeping sweets/biscuits out of view will substantially limit grazing (even storing treats in an opaque container helps to reduce temptation). Switching the plate of biscuits at meetings with nuts, or seeds is another option that will help keep everyone's blood sugar more even throughout the day.
Q: How can employers help their teams adopt a healthy eating mindset?
A: It is important to try to tackle work-related stress and make sure employees have time to eat away from their desks. The pressure to join in with after work drinks and/or boozy lunches can be a real struggle for some personality types (take our QUIZ to find your Shrinkology type). Some people are better than others at setting boundaries but it can be difficult to say ‘no’ to a slice of cake for a colleague’s birthday or pint on a Friday afternoon. Employers can help here by creating a culture of health and wellbeing and offering opportunities for peer support and bonding that aren’t pinned to food and drink.
* You'll find lots of science-backed tips and tricks in our book The Shrinkology Solution
* Go to the home page and take the free QUIZ to find your eating type, then turn to the book for tailored behavioural and dietary advice to suit the nuances of your eating type; plus exercise and activity recommendations to enhance your personalised plan.