I'm sure you've all heard of the "freshman fifteen"...but have you heard of the "deadline five"? You may not have. It's a little term a colleague and I coined when we noticed that after the quarterly publication we worked for went to press, we both weighed in five pounds heavier and felt listless and bloated. Turns out both of us (and probably other staffers too!) were spending way too much time sitting in our chairs proofreading, doing layouts, and snacking on anything handy til the wee hours for about two weeks straight.
You don't have to work for a magazine to put on the deadline five, either. If you've noticed your pants shrinking (oops!), maybe it's not their all-cotton content, but your calorie count, that is the problem. Want five simple ways to fight off that deadline five? Read on!
- Drink water...lots of water! First of all, you'll fill up on something calorie free. Secondly, you'll keep from getting dehydrated, which can cause you to think you're hungry. Third, we're headed into the warm months, and you'll feel better on many fronts when you're properly hydrated. Not too big on plain old water? Try adding flavor with lemon or lime wedges.
- Grab something small and healthy if you're feeling snacky. Baby carrots and low-cal ranch work well, as do some apple slices and a slice of low-fat cheese or a serving of whole-wheat pretzels. Try keeping organic fruit and veggies on hand and you can up your intake of important vitamins and nutrients while fending off the hunger beast.
- Smash the candy dish! Don't keep a jar of sugar-laden treats on your desk. If you need to stave off your sweet tooth, stock your desk drawer with a serving worth of Hershey's Kisses at a time. Try not to eat more than one "stash" a day...dole them out for stressful moments (one at a time, folks) or to reward yourself for tackling a task. Have some left over at the end of the day? Count those toward the next day's serving; we're not trying to bank interest toward a Friday free-for-all!
- Feeling snacky? Brush your teeth. Not working from home? Try Oral-B's Brush-Ups. Nothing will taste as yummy with a toothpaste taste in your mouth...and your next trip to the dentist might be easier too.
- Keep low-fat or non-fat dairy handy. If you're a dairy lover, switch to lower fat milk, yogurt and cheese, and you'll cut your calorie and fat contents for the day. Even better, research shows that upping your dairy intake (along with eating well in general and getting some exercise) will help along any weight-loss plans you're tackling. You can also stave off that late afternoon "wall" by grabbing a high protein snack like nuts or, yep, you guessed it: cheese. Low-fat string cheese is one easy option!
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