O.O.P. Tops Office Meal Combo Every Time. Honest.

Eating at the computer is not good for the digestion. Photo by Dreamstime.

By JANET COOK, NYC Healthy Chick

SO which Office Breakfast Combo do you order daily?

Office Combo 1: 16 oz. of black coffee or Diet Coke on an empty stomach, Office Combo 2: Doughnuts with sugar frosting-n-rainbow sprinkles and 16 oz. cup of coffee, or Office Combo 3: Skipping breakfast altogether?

Lentils, brown rice and onions can be a main dish or a side. Photo from Whole Foods Market.

And exactly how do you feel just hours afterward? Fatigued, and with your mojo has disappearoed? Hmmm, this is definitely not a good thing to experience daily at work or any place.

Do not worry; eat three square meals a day; say your prayers; be courteous to your creditors; keep your digestion good; exercise; go slow and easy. Maybe there are other things your special case requires to make you happy, but my friend, these I reckon will give you a good lift. – Lincoln, Abraham

Batman would recommend foods that provide the necessary energy to fight off bad guys and other stressers. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

Ah, thanks Abe for sharing those tips for optimal living. However, in this day and age life has become a tad bit more complicated for most. People are eating on the run with their three square meals a day consisting of 72 percent nutritionally bankrupt processed foods. At least five days a week two out of three meals are consumed at work in front of a computer. HEY, WAKE UP! We have a silent natural disaster happening right before our very eyes. Gadzooks! Not even Batman can save us from this mayhem or can he?

Well, Batman can if he suggests that we start each day with a power breakfast and sip 64 ounces of room temperature filtered water followed by a sensible lunch, mid-afternoon snack and dinner. Eating a power breakfast will curb hunger later in the day. Pack healthy snacks like raw veggies, unsweetened dried fruit and whole grain crackers or nuts to avoid grazing on sugary, fattening foods.

The momentary pleasure that comes from eating a doughnut is not worth the after effects. Photo by Dunkin Donuts Coupons.

The body's demand for high quality nutrients is greater when it is (and we are) under stress. Stressed out coworkers can easily influence others to graze and nosh even if they are not hungry – especially around the 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. blood sugar crash hour. Don't forget to include fatty oils as part of your daily plan because they contribute to brain function and positively affect cardiovascular and digestive functioning. Examples are flaxseed, grapeseed and extra virgin olive. Another is fish oil, which is easy to find in pill form.

Ready to give up on Office Meal Combos? Take action today by creating a longterm solution that addresses nutritionally bankrupt foods and that will help with better managing stress. Woot! Woot! Not only will your performance at work be optimal and your energy sustainable, your waistline will shrink.

The choice is clear; the young woman should have the apple instead of the hamburger. Photo by Dreamstime.

Ready? Set? Let’s go with NYC Healthy Chick's 5 Tips for Optimal Office Performance (O.O.P.):

1. Eat a power breakfast – combinations include a banana and protein shake; peanut butter or other nut butter on whole wheat toast; raw veggies and hummus; avocado;

2. Sip 64 ounces of filtered water; eliminate other beverages;

3. Limit or eliminate all processed foods; eat more fresh vegetables that are organic or locally-grown;

4. Avoid artificial sweeteners of all kinds;

5. Take a high quality supplement containing calcium, magnesium, potassium and fish oil.

The vegetarian Tuscan kale and white bean soup packs a lot of nutrients but not salt and fat. Photo by Whole Foods.

Following are easy 1-2-3 recipes that will get you pumped up for the day and help break the cycle of eating Office Meal Combos.

Greens are an exceptional choice for breakfast because they load the body with the minerals needed to get through a tough day at the office. Whip up in 5 minutes or less a Green Smoothie, which is a terrific alternative to the coffee-and-doughnut combo. It's filling and will get your brain going with the fatty oils. Instead of milk, use a high quality whey protein powder to take in essential amino acids. (http://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/green-smoothie/detail.aspx)

Brown bagging it never tasted so good! Say goodbye to sodium- and fat-laden office soups. Cook once, eat twice the Vegetarian Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup. Filling up with nutritionally dense ingredients keeps you zooming without any post-lunch energy lulls. (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2451)


Abraham Lincoln expressed some interesting thoughts on the good life. Photo courtesy of Visiting DC.

Got a weekly Middle Eastern food hankering? Give the local spot a break, not to mention your wallet by preparing the vegetarian main course of Lentils, Brown Rice and Carmelized Onions the night before. (http://www.bit.ly/oZeLyF)

Plan your work and work your plan. When work-related stress comes calling, remember that you can always manage it better with whole foods prepared at home. Be sure to include active ingredients like greens to super charge your body and mind. Who knows, maybe your supervisors will take notice and reward you with an unexpected bonus or promotion.

That is the kind of office combo that is good for the mojo.