New job, new challenges, new goals

So yesterday, I started my new job (cue confetti!!!)!

Two things about the new job and food:

1) They have unlimited "deluxe" powdered coffee.  You know the kind that you can get at convenience stores in authentic flavors such as French Vanilla or English Toffee?  Yeah those.  If you've never had the chance to try them, they're basically about 40 thousand teaspoons of sugar in a highly caffeinated beverage that tastes nothing like coffee and everything like drinking melted chocolate.  In short, it's delicious.   And it's free.

This may present a problem...mostly because being hyped up on caffeine AND sugar is not the best option.  Secondly, I probably won't like how that feels on a regular basis.  Thirdly, it's not good for me.  Fourthly? I really don't need extra calories in a drinkable form.

My plan?  Know that the coffee is there should I want it.  There are non-flavored, non-sugary options, but because it comes out of a machine, I don't get to pick how sugary or creamed the coffee is.  I can experiment with those options, or I can drink hot tea (which is typically my hot beverage of choice anyway). 

BUT should I really want the coffee, I'm going to let myself have it.  With the caveat that I need to be mindful about consuming it.  If I'm just going to down it while in a stressful meeting and not really savor it, then it's wasted calories anyway.  It might make sense to save the flavored coffee for times when I can really enjoy it.

2) The lunchroom is pretty far away from where my desk is.

Actually, this kind of sounds like it'd be a pain in the butt, but I think it will work in my favor.  First, how often do I go to the kitchen to grab something to eat just for a diversion to break up my normal work day?  Now, I can make the walk a part of the diversion.

The added benefit is that I get in some movement throughout the day. 

I can have some snacks at my desk (although I didn't see anyone actually eating at their desk) to enjoy in a pinch, but most of my items are fruits, cheeses, or meals that require refrigeration.  I'm hopeful that the distance to the fridge/lunchroom may help me decide if I'm actually hungry before eating.  If I am really hungry, the walk will be no biggie.  If I'm not, the long walk may be enough of a deterrent to avoid it.

Yesterday, I ended up eating more food (and food that wasn't healthy) than I had intended.  My boss took myself and another new co-worker out to a bar for burgers (no joke) and Joe and I had dinner plans pre-arranged at a local restaurant.  The dinner was excellent, but not exactly low-cal either.

If I want to look and feel better, I've got to take more control of my eating - at work and outside of work. 

And without any bad habits already marring my normal workday, I'm in a perfect position to set up some great guidelines for me.

Added to that, I get to go to work a half hour later than I used to - with a commute that's half what it used to be.  Running in the morning is going to make a comeback in my life without having to feel like I'm getting up earlier to do it.  I can get up at the same time I always did and still get a great 3 mile workout in.

The new job is going to be stressful enough - learning new people, new things, new cliques, and new unspoken rules.  Why not add some new healthy activities too?