Ladies and gents, I'm happy to say that I've received my first reader question to which I can actually provide an answer without having to look a bunch of stuff up or call on a smarty-pants friend/expert resource. Neat-o. (It's the small things that keep me happy, really.)
Anyhoo...this question comes from Sarah over at My Dainty Dollar, who seems like could use our collective support. She's having a hard time living within her means in New York while trying to pursue her passion for performing. She writes:
" I am a slave to the vending machines at work. Every day I get at least one thing. These snacks are never healthy and are 80 cents each. I'm sure over time that's going to add up. I think part of the reason I snack at work is because I'm so bored and my job is unfulfilling. Do you have any tips for staying away from this money taking calorie machine?
Thanks,
Sarah"
OK, I'm going to answer the question about vending machines for now and leave the career management bloggers to advise you about the job. But before I begin dispensing my snacking wisdom, I will say that life in general can seem pretty crappy if you hate your job and don't know what else to do. A lot of people find themselves totally bored out of their mind at work, feel stuck in jobs that are unfulfilling and develop bad habits to compensate. But remember that life is all about decisions, and that you are never a passenger in your own life. You are the driver. You get to choose where you want to go. That is the beauty of life. So, you know, drive. Make a turn or stop and ask for directions or something.
Ugh. This driving analogy's making my head hurt. Onto snacks.
Snacks, indeed... I love them. Every day at like 3:00 p.m., I start thinking about cookies. Big, lovely, sugary, chocolate-chipped yumminess. Or Doritos - a bag of cheesy, crunchy heaven. Or just about anything I ran past on my way to work in the morning or got a whiff of on the bus. Suddenly at 3:00, it's all I can think about.
Luckily, I have the good fortune to work with dietitians, personal trainers and other nutrition specialists at my job. And I have pumped them for information, well, like it's my job. So without further ado, here are my tips for staying away from the vending machine at your office.
1. Plan ahead. My best days are those when I manage to pack sandwich bags or Tupperware with enough snacks to get me through the day. The sandwich bags are key, because in my opinion, they give me the illusion I'm eating something sinful. So into my sandwich bags I pack dried berries, wheat crackers, baby carrots, cut-up red peppers, trail mix, pistachios and other fruits, vegetables and grains to get me through the day. When I feel like I need a bag of Doritos, I go for the crunchy carrots. When I need a cookie, I eat my dried berries.
2. Keep healthy food at your office. For days when you can't plan ahead, keep a few supplies at your office. I usually have an apple or orange, a packet of oatmeal and a can of soup at my desk in case of emergency. Trust me, they come in handy.
3. Buy in bulk. If you can buy granola or dried fruit in bulk, and then bag it, you'll save some cash. I don't really know where to buy healthy versions (without preservatives, sulfates or additives) of this stuff in bulk for cheap, unfortunately, since I don't really have cabinet space. Whole Foods bulk always seems really expensive. So let me know if you find a better alternative. People with cabinet space will thank you.
4. Fill up with fiber. To stay full, keep your energy levels high and help with your daily calorie count, eat foods that are high in fiber. You can find a great list of high-fiber foods here. I also have been known to use a fiber supplement (I like Metamucil Pink Lemonade) to tide me over for days when I'm really hungry.
5. Keep a box of low-sugar, high-fiber cereal at your desk. This is a no-brainer. See the above note. (I like Kashi Good Friends.)
6. Drink decaf green tea. I read the book "Skinny Bitch" and one of the best tips I got was to drink decaf green tea to conquer cravings and provide a non-caffeinated energy boost. I drink Celestial Seasonings because it's typically the only decaf green I can find. It's also yumtastic.
7. Drink enough water. I also read that most of the time when people feel a craving for snacks, they're really dehydrated. So for a while, I required myself to drink a full 12-oz. glass of water before I had any snacks or soda. It was a punishment back then, when I used to drink cans of soda every day. But now, practically the only thing I drink is water.
As a sidenote, have you ever actually tried to drink 64 oz. of water in one day? I have. My stomach was so full that I couldn't fit any snacks in.
8. Go easy on yourself. All food costs money, especially the healthy variety. So don't beat yourself up over spending 80 cents per day on snacks. It's not like you're buying two $5.00 lattes every day. If you're trying to cut costs, take Suze Orman's advice and look for the bigger expenses first (expensive cable, two phone lines, etc.).
And in general, don't be so hard on yourself. You're doing an amazing job by just recognizing where you are in life and trying to do better! Congrats on taking your first steps towards financial fabulousness! Good luck and remember the little people when you get big and famous.
No comments:
Post a Comment