The Challenge of Staying Fit at Work

So tell me: Who's the candyman (or woman) in your office? If you're like me, you know perfectly well who the keepers-of-the-candy are, and you're very nice to them. But while the office candy bowl is practically a workplace institution, it's also part of the problem. When we're stressed out and overworked, many of us just can't resist.

Last week, the New York Times discussed the plight of people who literally eat for a living. Some are celebrities--Padma Lakshmi of Top Chef fame, and Frank Bruni, the Times food critic. Others simply have the (mis)fortune of working in a chocolate store or a bakery. Whatever the case, their work presents a real fitness challenge.

For Padma, it means making peace with a little weight gain. "I just try to cut myself a break--I know I'm going to gain weight [during taping of Top Chef]. In my job, I eat the most when I'm working the most." She fits in fitness whenever she can and tries to keep it all in perspective.

It can be tough to stay healthy when the culture of your office revolves around junk food--even if you don't make chocolate chip cookies for a living. Just realize that it's OK to indulge now and then, as long as you make healthy choices a majority of the time.

Now if you'll please excuse me, I need to chat with our candyman.