Healthy Snacking Good for Productivity, Weight Loss

When starting a weight loss diet, most people prepare to starve, but it is not good for the body or a weight loss diet! Not eating for long periods of time throughout the day can actually make the body retain more fat, not to mention sluggish, tired, and completely unproductive – you know, that 2:30 feeling?

Our bodies need a lot of energy to sustain our many functions and keep us focused and productive at work. We are physically and mentally active in our jobs and that takes a lot of energy out of us. Our bodies require fuel to keep us from getting sluggish in the afternoon and to allow our creative juices to flow.

When the body is hungry, we start to lose the focus and interest in our tasks. We start to feel bad, tired, and generally want to go home, which is never a good way to feel at work. Healthy snacking adds energy to the body, little by little, avoiding the common crash in energy and general loss of productivity we experience throughout the day.

Employee Managers Take Note

By creating a work environment that encourages and facilitates healthy snacking, productivity is also encouraged! When all team members are fully energized, excited about their work, and fully attentive, image how productive the whole team working together can be!

The key to the snacking, though, is keeping it light and healthy. The wrong kind of snacking will backfire and create a loss of concentration, sleepiness, and overall decreased productivity. Raw, unsalted nuts are a great, healthy snack food, but stick with ones that have already been shelled to avoid becoming preoccupied.

Other great snack foods include fresh fruits (avoid fruits in juices loaded with sugars and preservatives), berries, and cheese (limit diary intake; do not eat daily), to name a few.

Dark chocolate is also great to keep around the office because it is rich in antioxidants and is a stimulant, like nicotine or caffeine, energizing the brain. Snack lightly on the dark chocolate, though, the consequences of overeating it are obvious.

For weight loss dieting, try healthy snacking more through the day and reduce the portion of lunch and/or dinner to offset the calories. It should be easier to achieve your weight loss goals and the benefits of a clear, fully functioning mind can propel productivity and professional success!