© stockcreations | Dreamstime
Heart Healthy Foods 620ed32c90b74

Making Weight-wise Choices at Work

Nov. 8, 2007
Learn what your company can do to battle the nation’s costly rise in obesity.

Obesity costs companies in the United States more than $13 billion annually in medical fees and lost productivity, and is associated with 39 million lost workdays, according to the National Business Group on Health. Ceridian, a provider of employee assistance programs and other human resource services, offers a weight management program that takes a non-diet approach to weight loss and maintenance. Ceridian said 89 percent of the participants in its weight management program achieved weight loss or weight stabilization.

If your employees are looking for help to shed a few pounds, Ceridian’s Meyer offers the following tips:

  • Bring healthy snacks from home. This helps hungry employees pass up treats brought by a coworkers or less-healthy vending machine choices.
  • Plan ahead and pack your lunch. Taking a healthy salad, sandwich or thermos of soup to work can fill you up, is ready to eat and costs less than ordering in.
  • Eat when you’re hungry. If you get mid-morning hunger pangs, eat a healthy snack.
  • Find time to walk. Park far away and walk, take the stairs or add a walk around the building to your lunch hour routine. Try taking a “walking meeting” with coworkers.
  • Avoid stress snacking. Instead of grabbing a candy bar or muffin to calm you down, do some deep breathing, stretching or talk to that coworker who makes you smile.
  • Choose low-calorie foods. Diet sodas, artificial sweeteners and low-calorie foods can readily substitute for higher calorie snacks. Avoiding one extra teaspoon of sugar a day can prevent a 12-pound weight gain over a year.
  • Control your intake. Controlling the amount of calories you eat can be more effective in controlling weight than just exercise alone. Also, try drinking a large glass of water before a meal to make you feel fuller.
  • Track your habits. Keep a food diary to see what, when and why you eat. It can help you create a plan to improve your eating.
  • Stay inspired. What will help you remember to stick to your weight management goals? It could be a photo on your computer screen, a reminder of an upcoming event or vacation, or a clipping of a reward you will give yourself for your success.
About the Author

Steve Minter

An award-winning editor, Steve Minter was publisher and editorial director of EHS Todaydating back to when the brand was known as Occupational Hazards, where he was instrumental in the development of the Champions of Safety and America’s Safest Companies recognition programs. In 2009 he transitioned to editor-in-chief of IndustryWeek, where he covered global economic and international trade issues, tackling subject matter ranging from manufacturing trends, public policy and regulations in developed and emerging markets to global regulation and currency exchange rates. As well, he supervised content production of all IW editorial products including the magazine, IndustryWeek.com, research and information products, and executive conferences. 

Steve received his B.A. in English from Oberlin College. He is married and has two children. He is now retired.

Sponsored Recommendations

April 25, 2025
Environmental audits should be a core part of your EHS program regardless of whether you choose to pursue ISO 14001 certification.
April 25, 2025
Streamline EHS inspections. Conduct, track, and manage inspections effortlessly with customizable checklists, real-time reporting, and actionable insights.
April 25, 2025
A winning business case is based on the ROI of the project. The essential first step is determining your EHS costs today.
April 25, 2025
The use of QR codes can greatly simplify observation, near miss, and incident reporting and improve the quantity and quality of data. The more safety information that is collected...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!