Welcome to Day 2 of the 20 Days of No Bullshit Health and Fitness. I asked my readers about a week ago, what their biggest issue with health and fitness was and there were lots of responses that asked about tactics on how to avoid the office lolly jar at 3pm. I hear you girlfriends… and boyfriends. I have a few little tips that have done me good through out my life so I thought I’d pass them on to you. Here’s a few things you can do to keep your grubby mits from stuffing handfuls of sugary treats in your gob every afternoon. 

5 Tips To Help You Keep Your Hands Out of The Lolly Jar

1. Be Vocal About How Bad The Lolly Jar Is

Don’t apologise about not wanting to gorge yourself on sugar every afternoon. I used to work in an office where we welcomed new adult education students every few days and there was always left over biscuits, chips, lollies, cheese and cake literally on the table where we all ate lunch. I used to loudly move the offending food to a side table saying that it was a health hazard having unhealthy foods right on the lunch table every second day. For those that wanted to eat the treats, they could stand up and get them. I also used to make sure that all the leftover food was thrown away or given away at the end of every day. The other ladies in the office got to the point that they wouldn’t even offer me a chocolate from a gift box because I always said no. Don’t be afraid to be the food police. If I said yes to every tasty morsel I was ever offered in the workplace I’d be the size of a house. Own your health and tell people to back off with their junk food bullying.

2. Provide an Alternative

Perhaps you could start a healthy snack club and take turns providing afternoon alternatives like almonds, carrots and hommus, peanut butter and celery or small packets of dried fruit?  Most people turn to the lolly jar when they’re hungry and tired and the only thing that will cure those ailments is rest and sustenance. When it hits 3pm, take a little break, make yourself a cup of tea, drink plenty of water and have a healthy snack. It’s not actually the 3pm slump that’s the enemy it’s the lack of self-preservation leading to the 3pm slump that’s the enemy. Spend the day preparing for the inevitable with regular breaks and hydration and have an alternative snack ready. Simple.

3. Suggest a Lolly Jar Day of The Week

An old work colleague and I used to celebrate Funky Junky Friday. All week we’d carefully avoid the left over chocolate biscuits and cheese in the lunch room and then on Fridays we’d walk to the shops together and buy a small chocolate treat to share. By nominating a day and creating a cheerful little title for it created a positive atmosphere of not being able to eat junk on any day other than Funky Junky Friday.

4. Just Don’t Touch The Damn Lolly Jar

I love lollies as much as anyone and I have a lot of trouble resisting a 3pm sugar hit but when it boils down to it, I do harbour the physical ability to stop my hand from shoving junk in my gob, no matter how much I try to convince myself that it’s out of my control. It’s all about preparation, focus and concentration. If you’ve eaten a decent lunch, had a healthy and satisfying snack and are fully hydrated then 9 times out of 10 you won’t even be thinking about eating treats. Just don’t let your hand go near the jar. Just don’t do it. 

5. Get An Avoidance Buddy

If you have a work colleague who is also health conscious, join forces to resist the jar together and keep each other on track. It’s much easier to resist if you have a friend who is holding your hand. Perhaps have a rule whereby if one of you succumbs to the lolly jar and eats a few stale jelly beans then they don’t get to have the fancy Funky Junky Friday treat. It’s much easier to be strong if someone is being strong with you. 

Do you have 3pm slump issues that quickly turn into serious love sessions with bags of jelly snakes? How do you stop the afternoon gorge fest?

Feature image & Image