Today’s guest post is by Pamela Hernandez. Pamela is an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer and an ACE Lifestyle & Weight Management Coach. This month, she gives us a cheat sheet for healthy snacks at the office. Pamela is the owner of Thrive Personal Fitness. Follow her healthy weight loss and fitness tips on twitter: @thrivefit. She is ThriveFiton DailyBurn Tracker. Enjoy!

Before I became a personal trainer I was fortunate enough to have a job where I worked from home. It made it very easy to run into the kitchen for a meal or snack to be eaten discretely during a conference call. I never had to worry about forgetting my lunch either.

I realize most people are not so fortunate. The workday is long and offices have sugar filled vending machines, co-workers with candy dishes and at least one birthday party/food day a week.

We know those candy bars and cupcakes aren’t the best choices for us when we want be strong and lean. Yet, when stressed or tired, they seem like the magic answer to our energy problem.

The best offense, they always say, is a good defense. To make good choices make them the easiest choices. Set your path for success with these 2 defensive strategies.

Clean the junk out of your desk and keep a stocked desk drawer with some of these healthy and clean snacks.

• Luna Bars (170-190 calories each, depending on variety)

• Primal Strips Seitan Jerky (99 calories)

• Almonds (100 calorie packs for freshness and portion control)

• Bear Naked Fit Granola (120 calories a serving)

• Dry Roasted Edamame (130 calories a serving)

• Tuna or chunk chicken packets (for my non-vegetarian friends, about 70-100 calories per serving)

• Protein2GO (50 calories) perfect to add to a bottle of water

• Dried peas (120 calories a serving)

Create a breakfast ritual of packing perishables for the day to round out your snack draw.

• Low Fat Cottage Cheese (1/2 cup 90 calories)

• Hummus with baby carrots (about 100 calories for a serving of each)

• Greek Yogurt (varies by brand, aim for 120-150 calories)

• Hardboiled eggs (71 calories each) or just the whites (17 calories each)

• Ready to Drink Protein shakes (varies depending on brand)

• Apples (small about 65 calories)

• Bananas (small about 75 calories)

• Pears (medium about 100 calories and 6 grams of fiber!)

Whole foods and healthy snacks like these are going to help keep blood sugar levels more stable than the break room donuts, avoiding the afternoon crash that sends us right back to the vending machine. If you keep your snack drawer packed and get a small cooler you won’t even have to enter the break room.

Unhealthy snacks are out of sight and out of mind!