We all know the feeling. It’s past lunch, but not time to clock-off just yet. The whistle of the coffee machine, the crunch of a chip packet or the sight of an unassuming chocolate bar can be enough to set anyone off. You glance at your watch – it’s choc-o-clock. “Oh, I might just have a little something sweet.” Your head peers over to your colleague. “Anyone want some chocolate?” you ask with a cheeky grin.

HALT …Rewind. What led you to this moment? And how can you make healthier snack choices, or better, avoid being at the mercy of your cravings altogether?

What causes my craving?

Afternoon cravings can be caused by any number of factors including diet, sleep patterns, exercise routines and stress-levels. If we’re tired, lacking motivation, or simply hungry after an unsatisfying lunch, it’s easy to fall victim to the trap of the 3pm treat.

So it’s important to take notice of how you feel when your craving hits and tackle it by addressing the root of the problem.

1. HUNGER

Your lunch has a big impact on how you will feel heading into the afternoon. Nutritionist Tanya Zuckerbrot, recommends a colourful lunch bursting with protein and fibre to stay full and ward off unnecessary sweet cravings later.

“A lunch that combines fibre and protein will keep you full and happy all afternoon,” she says. Her idea of a perfect lunch is: “mixed green salad topped with broccoli, hearts of palm, and protein – salmon, chicken, or tofu.” Adding avocado will help slow digestion- keeping you full longer.

Slowing down the rate at which you eat lunch will keep you feeling fuller too. A 2015 study conducted by the University of Bristol found those who eat slower feel fuller and feel they’ve eaten more than those who eat fast.

2. FATIGUE

Your eyes are slowly drooping, and your head is feeling heavy. Resist. That. Yawn…. “There seems to be a natural rhythm or set clock in our bodies, so many people tend to feel a little sleepy around 2 or 3 in the afternoon,” says Lona Sandon, RD, MEd, assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre.  Apart from this natural energy drop in our body clock (which some cultures acknowledge with siesta!), there are a number of other causes of afternoon fatigue.

What’s the science behind this lull in energy? And how can we stay alert and productive into the afternoon without reaching for some cake?

Afternoon fatigue is most often related to the body’s inability to effectively burn fat known as ‘post-lunch hypoglycaemia’. Switching your carb-heavy meals with foods rich in good fats is an effective way to train your body to burn fats instead of energy from carbohydrates, and eliminate these drops in energy levels. So crackers partnered with a hearty serving of avocado or small portion of virgin olive oil, or grilled fish with vegetables, is the better option than a bowl of pasta.

Rather than reaching for a caffeine-dense coffee, Snackwize recommends chai or matcha tea to help kick those zzzs. Cinnamon in chai tea helps to increase awareness, and cardamom works as a mood-booster. If you’re still after a small caffeine fix, matcha tea is packed with a natural relaxant, which means a constant energy increase without the caffeine knock-out. 

Finally, exercising midday is a proven way to give your body an energy boost for up to three to four hours, helping you to avoid a ‘pick me up’ simply because you’re tired. As an added bonus, you’ll be less likely to reach for a snack that would undo all your hard work!

3. A PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSE
More often than not, afternoon cravings are a psychological response to what’s going on around us. If we’re stressed, bored or unmotivated, a sweet treat seems like a quick fix. Yet in reality, sugar hits and carb-loaded foods will work as a short-term pick-me-up but may only leave us with a headache, feeling bloated or even more tired than we were before.

If you’re reaching for food to have a much-needed break from your desk, the better option would be to go for a walk. But we’re only human, and sometimes when we’re feeling down, only a sweet treat will do. That’s when you pull out your cheat-sheet of sweet alternatives. (See end of article).

Making better choices
Remember, snacking isn’t necessarily unhealthy. It all comes down to what you’re eating. Your afternoon craving can be an opportunity to fuel your body to sneak some extra nutrition and boost your energy levels for the rest of the day.

What’s the best type of food to reach for when those afternoon cravings refuse to give up? High protein and low sugar snacks will be your best bet. Avoid white bread, crackers, chips and pretzels – these simple carbohydrates won’t keep you full.

Your 3pm Craving Cheat Sheet

A collection of ideas from Snackwize and Chobani Australia.

Something substantial

• Bean/ lentil/ legume soup
• Whole-grain toast with organic, low-salt peanut butter
• Carrot/ cucumber/ celery sticks with hummus or low-fat tzatziki
• Small can of tuna with 2 wholegrain crackers

Just for a nibble

• Hummus Chips
• Sugar-free high-fibre cereal (skim milk optional)
• A handful of raw almonds
• Apple slices and natural nut butter
• Air-popped pop corn
• Rice cakes
• 1-2 boiled eggs

When only sweet will do

• A high protein such as the Chobani ‘Flip’
• Sugar free or dark chocolate
• Banana cut up with organic peanut butter on top
• A fruit smoothie
• Handful of dark chocolate covered nuts or raisons

Whatever craving hits you after lunch, you can satisfy it with a healthy alternative.

Being healthy at work doesn’t end with choosing the right foods to fuel your body. Get active during the working day, and spread the message of health and wellness at your workplace, with the Tour de Office corporate cycling relay. With custom events now available, Tour de Office is happening in workplaces across Australia all throughout the year. The Chobani CHOteam will be visiting workplaces across Australia for Tour de Office in August and September, delivering their brand new creamy Greek yogurt with a Crave-worthy crunch, ‘Chobani Flip’.

Editor’s note: This article was published in partnership with Chobani Australia and Snackwize.

Year after year since the first Tour de Office ride in 2011, healthy rivalry between Australian organisations has encouraged staff members to go above and beyond… jumping on the bike with crazier costumes, inviting special guests such as the police to ride, and finding creative ways to raise every dollar possible (one rider promised to wax his legs in the foyer if he hit his fundraising target). So what will happen when we turn up the heat, and create teams within organisations? Well… now is the time to find out, because that’s exactly what we’ve done!

For the first time in 2017, Tour de Office riders can sign up and fundraise as part of a team within their organisation and compete against teams within their company, and teams around Australia.

Marketing vs Finance? Sales vs HR? CEOs vs everyone else? Let the fundraising games begin.

Read on for the top benefits of being part of a fundraising team, rather than going at it alone:

Raise more! According to a 2014 study by Everyday Hero, fundraisers as part of a team are responsible for 65 per cent of total fundraising dollars in cycling events, while individuals raise just over 15 per cent of the total fundraising tally (with the remaining 15 per cent raised by team captains). That’s four times more than an individual fundraiser! Similarly, those in a team received an average of two more donations than individuals.

Be driven. With one team goal, you’ll be more motivated to fundraise because you’ll won’t want to let the team down! In fact, team members are ten per cent more likely to hit the keyboard and email their contacts asking for support than individuals when it comes to fundraising. Team members send an average of 8 more emails to their friends and colleagues asking for donations than individual event participants.

Spread the word like never before. Imagine how much louder your fundraising voice will be when part of a team. Amplify your cause by approaching potential donors as a team, and bring social media into the mix. Tagging in your teammates on social media and regularly posting team updates will help get everyone’s network is interested and invested, pushing your team closer to success! The comradery that comes with team shirts, flags and posters, will motivate your team to do the best you can when it comes to sweating it out on the bike and raising money for your worthy cause.

Have (even more) fun! As part of a team, you’re able to run mini fundraising events for some bonus fundraising in the lead up to the event. Smoothie-making days, mini olympics and dress-up days are just some ways your team could take Tour de Office ‘season’ to the next level in your office. Why not hijack one day of Tour de Office rider calendar and book it out with everyone in your team. You could surprise your office with a team costume theme. Prizes for the best dressed team anyone? Let’s celebrate cycling for the team sport that it truly is.

To join or create a team in the Tour de Office event, make sure you’ve signed up here. Go to your profile page, and scroll down click either ‘Join team’ or ‘Create team’ on the left.

What are you waiting for? Round up the troops and sign up your Tour de Office team today for the best Tour de Office event yet.

 

Editor’s’ note: Please note, at this stage, teams are only available for September event.

 

Source: The 2014 BLACKBAUD Key Performance Indicators for Online Participants and Teams by Loyalty, Donation Level, and Fundraising Performance Analysis. http://charity.everydayhero.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/2014-peer-to-peer-fundraising-study-1.pdf 

Fundraising can often (incorrectly) be perceived as a hassle-a-thon of your closest friends, clients and family. The good news is Tour de Office doesn’t advocate forced fundraising – we want our riders to simply showcase the fun they’re having, the effort they’re putting in, and the passion they have for their cause.

There is no perfect formula to appeal to your friends and family and ask for donations.

We went through the history books and looked at a couple of our top Tour de Office Fundraisers from the last couple of years to gain an insight into how they promoted their rides – hopefully it will inspire you to do the same.

THE ROOKIE

Bernadette O’Connor gives us a great example of how an entry-level professional can give the top executives a run for their money on the fundraising leaderboard.

Bernadette focused on consistent and fun social media posts to engage her network to donate to her rides. Proving the little guy can come through with a win Bernadette raised nearly $2,000 in one week and was the top fundraiser for her organisation Employment Office.

“For me it was about quantity – I knew my friends would only be able to donate small amounts so I had to ensure I had a lot of little donations coming in every day. I posted every day on social media and live-tweeted my rides. The big thing is to ALWAYS put a link to your direct fundraising page, donors lose interest very quickly so if they can’t see a direct way to give you money.“There is nothing worse than giving someone a donation then never seeing if that person has actually completed their fun-run, or bake sale, or volunteer work – I wanted to prove to everyone I was riding every day, dressing up, having fun and their money was going to a good cause,” Bernadette says.

“You don’t need friends in high places to raise money for a good cause – a bit of fun – and some humorous self promotion goes a long way. Consistency is key and so if it’s your first time fundraising, there is no excuse not to jump on your bike and start tweeting your rides!”

THE PERSISTENT FUNDRAISER

Rahul Goyal topped the fundraising leader board for Tour de Office in 2015 with a record-breaking $7000 raised during the event. So how did he do it?

Rahul admits that he’s a keen fundraiser and personally supports a number of charities each year. He has a clear-cut strategy that has been tried and tested during a number of charity initiatives.

“Firstly I always make a sizable donation to myself. Its hard to ask others to support you when you haven’t made a contribution yourself. Then I write a list of 30 people who I’m confident would be happy to give a donation. These are people who I have a good relationship with and speak to regularly. I send each person a personalised email and then remind them when I next speak to them.

I usually follow up with my shortlist every couple of days until they make a donation or decline to do so. Once they’ve donated, I cross them off my list.”

Rahul reported that he doesn’t ever feel like he’s hassling people because he’s not doing it to benefit himself, but instead he’s advocating a charitable cause.

“By donating myself, its always easier to ask others. Remember, don’t be afraid to ask, you’re actively making a difference to the lives of others.” Rahul says.

THE SILKY-SMOOTH FUNDRAISER

Employment Office rider in Tour de Office 2016, Alex Hood raised almost $1000 with just some wax strips and over-enthusiastic colleagues. Alex promised he would get his legs waxed if he reached his fundraising target- and his colleagues were more than happy to oblige. When it came to the big day, those who had donated were qualified to tear one wax strip from a hairy calf or thigh. Last minute donations were flying in left, right and centre.

“It was hilarious! Doing something different was a huge boost to my fundraising – I was so excited to almost hit $1000. I would encourage anyone fundraising to think outside the box and not be afraid to make a fool of yourself. Jump on the bike in a crazy costume, face a fear or defy people’s expectations of you. It’s all for a good laugh and importantly, you’ll boost your fundraising.”  

Ultimately, the key to fundraising is to remember why you’re doing it in the first place. Consider how each dollar you raise will make a difference to people most in need. This will keep you motivated to reach out to your colleagues, friends and family for their support – remember, your community will want to help if you’re passionate about making a difference and show you’re having fun along the way!

An increasingly sedentary population is a burden on the Australian health system and economy. Disease brought on by inactivity leads to more than 16,000 premature deaths every year, and chronic disease costs the Australian economy an upwards of $15 billion annually.

The majority of our sedentary time is spent at work. In fact, the average Australian adult sits for 10 hours a day – in the workplace! This means there is an opportunity for you, business leaders, to make a significance difference to the health and wellbeing of your staff and encourage physical activity during the working day. Read on for why you should invest in the health of your staff…

A sedentary workforce is costing you money.

 According to Independent Economics, the overall average productivity loss as a result of physical inactivity costs Australian businesses $458 per employee per year. And that’s just in productivity loss. From high absenteeism and high turnover, to workplace injuries and a damaged employer brand, the hidden costs of an unhealthy workforce are significant.

You are missing an opportunity to increase productivity.

As mentioned, an unhealthy workforce will reduce productivity and put you out of pocket. Investing in the health and wellness of your staff is a proven measure to increase productivity.

A study conducted by Medibank Private found the healthiest Australian employees are almost three times more productive than their unhealthy colleagues. And your employees can feel the difference – healthy workers rate their work performance much higher than unhealthy workers, reported a Comcare Australian Government study. The healthiest employees worked 159 effective hours effective hours per month compared 43 effectives hours by the unhealthiest employees.

There’s plenty you can do to look after the health of your staff and see benefits to each staff member, and your business as a whole.

So, how can you invest in the health of staff, increase productivity and save money?

Take a look at your current wellness efforts. Do you have vending machines full of high-sugar foods, or offer fresh lunch options such as fruits and nuts? Is there exercise equipment or a stretching space available in your workplace or nearby?

If you have a health and wellness program in place, fantastic. But too often these programs are poorly communicated and underused. Make sure your staff members have a good understanding of what you’re offering and how it will benefit them. Consider what else you can do – perhaps conduct an internal survey for feedback and ideas. There’s always room for improvement.

Hosting a bike in Tour de Office

Partnering with a corporate health and wellness initiative such as Tour de Office is a clear and decisive step towards a healthier workforce. Tour de Office raises awareness about the health risks workers face by sitting for prolonged periods of time, and will get your staff up and moving.

During the week-long event, an expected 2,500 Australian staff members across 40 organisations will jump on a stationary bike in their office and ride thousands of kilometres for Australian charities.

According to a survey conducted by Wodonga TAFE in 2016, a participant of Tour de Office, 60 per cent of staff found the event motivated them to exercise at work and 70 per cent said they were more aware of the dangers of sitting for long periods. In addition, 90 per cent of staff said they really enjoyed the event and would participate again.

A number of big name organisations including Commonwealth Bank, Kordamentha, Optus and Motorama will host a bike in Tour de Office 2017. To join the ride kicking off in August and September, visit tourdeoffice.com or call Event Leader, Helen Dwyer on 0429 347 417.

Some would say modern donors are becoming fickle, increasingly needing justification for their support or spreading their giving amongst a variety of causes they feel passionate about rather than choosing loyalty to one charity. The question on their lips is –  “how can we use our resources to help others the most?”.

In most areas of life, we base our decisions on evidence and reason rather than emotion or instinct. When we invest money or make purchases, we gather as much information as we can about our options to find out what will give us the greatest return. Yet when it comes to doing good, traditionally we have often set aside these standards and donated to charities on impulse without researching where our money goes.

As a result, good intentions may be squandered because people use their time and money in ways that do comparatively little good. Most of us don’t realise just how wealthy we are in relative global terms. To put it into perspective – those amongst us earning an average income in Australia are likely to be in the top 5% of earners globally. This relative wealth presents an enormous opportunity to do good, and comes with a responsibility to use our money wisely in areas of greatest impact.

Consider Oprah Winfrey’s South African girl’s school she financed for $40 million in 2007. This undoubtedly presented amazing benefits for the 150 young female students. In isolation $40 million seems like a very generous contribution to a worthy cause. But if you consider those same funds could have been used to build multiple schools and support many impoverished communities, it seems like a missed opportunity.

So which causes should we support if we really want to make a difference? What career choices will help us make a significant contribution? Which charities will use our donations effectively? These are the questions asked more frequently by the modern philanthropist.

For 2017 and beyond, does the responsibility lie with the charity or with the giver to ensure money is well spent?