Knowing how to avoid junk food at work has got to be the million dollar question because let’s be honest – the good old vending machine can be a shift worker’s best friend when you feel like something quick and easy to eat.

And as it stands there all alone in the hallway, overflowing with different types of goodies to tempt you in, it can be VERY hard to just walk past and not fall under its hypnotic spell.

In fact if you’re a shift worker, avoiding junk food altogether can be a really hard thing to do.

Considering shift workers are prone to constant fatigue and tiredness, that sugar fix from a can of soda or chocolate bar can be just what you need to help get you through the shift. Particularly if you’re a night shift worker or you have to start at the rather hideous time of 3am in the morning.

So if you’re looking for some Shift Work Tips that will help you to avoid junk food at work, try the following:

1. Leave your wallet at home so you don’t have any money to buy junk food. This is by far the best tip because if you don’t have any money, then you quite simply cannot buy the junk food in the first place.

2. Always bring your own meals into work and have some healthy snacks on hand so that you are not tempted to fill up on chocolate, lollies and crisps.

Things like almonds, dates and fruit are a great snack food because they are whole foods – foods that have undergone little or no processing. They will also fill you up so that you’re not tempted to eat the sugary, nutrient-starved junk food.

So avoiding junk food at work can be a hard thing to do – but the good news is that you don’t have to have Superman-like strength and willpower!

If you come into work every day prepared, and keep a stash of healthy snacks in your bag or locker, then you’re less likely to fall under the hypnotic spell of that vending machine …

Now if you’re in search of some handy shift work diet tips then I’m certainly not surprised. Because quite frankly when you work irregular hours it can be very hard to find the time and energy to maintain a healthy diet regime.

And I have to say, this became increasingly evident to me as I conducted a training session at work the other day.

You see as staff arrived into the classroom, I was horrified to see a few finishing off their hamburgers, donuts and soft drinks.

And when I questioned the ‘donut eater’, her response was “I’ve been up since 2:30am – I need some sustenance!”

Now correct me if I’m wrong, but donuts and sustenance really don’t go together in the same sentence. In fact if you look on the back of most donut packets instead of listing the ingredients they call it ‘Nutritional Information’.

Now I can’t see any nutrition in something that contains a lot of trans fats and sugar.

These types of food only sap your energy levels because they have undergone so much human intervention, that your poor body has no idea how to digest it.

So if you’re looking for some shift work diet tips, then just apply the following:

1. Avoid processed food as much as possible.

2. Eat raw foods as much as possible.

3. Everything in moderation.

By just incorporating the above 3 things into your shift work diet, not only will the weight fall off but your energy levles will begin to skyrocket too. Because despite what you may think, hamburgers, donuts and soft drinks are definitely not your best friend.