6 must-haves for a healthy work day

If you're going to stay true to your health goals, you need to make sure you're following them at home and at work. Here are six items you can leave at your desk to help curb late afternon cravings and establish better habits.

You can bring a litre of water in two 500-millilitre (two-cup) bottles, and make it a goal to drink it before you go home.

• This is important for a few reasons. Being dehydrated can cause your blood sugar to rise. Also, water is filling so you'll feel less hungry during the day.

At the beginning of the workweek, bring several sliced limes or lemons in a resealable plastic bag and store them in the refrigerator at work.

• When you refill your water bottle, squeeze some juice into the bottle, then toss the slice in.
• For variety, try dropping slices of cucumber, strawberries or sprigs of mint into your water. It's like having a spa treat at your desk!

Sipping hot tea is an easy way to drink a lot of water and feel full while you work.

• Green or black teas are also two of the most potent sources of antioxidants in nature, and drinking them regularly has been shown to decrease the risk of heart disease and stroke, to which people with diabetes are more susceptible.
• For the sake of your blood pressure, choose decaffeinated tea (you'll still get the antioxidants).
• Store the tea bags inside an airtight container, in a cool, dry place (a desk drawer is ideal).

If there's no microwave in the break room (and if it's okay with your supervisor), keep an electric hot pot in your workspace.

• You can use it to heat water for tea, which will help you stay hydrated throughout the day.
• Because you can also reheat food in it (like a can of low-sodium soup, or last night's stew), a hot pot can also make eating healthy lunches easier.

You'll have no excuse to hit the vending machine when a snack craving strikes!

• Non-perishable nibbles like small boxes of high-fibre cereal, packets of instant oatmeal, low-fat crackers, small cans of fruit packed in their own juice and trail mix are good choices to keep in your drawer.
• If you have a refrigerator at work, keep some low-fat cheese sticks and low-fat yogurt in there.

Chew some gum when temptation hits.

• If you're due at a meeting in 10 minutes and you know there will be doughnuts or cookies on the table, pop a couple of breath mints or a piece of chewing gum into your mouth before you head over.
• The mint's strong flavour ruins the taste of anything that you eat, especially sugary baked goods.

With these six items, it can be easier to replicate your healthy habits of home at work.