re: Dealing with snacking at work

Based on his goals, yeah, skipping breakfast may be beneficial, but if it results in snacking on random foods in the lunchroom, it may not be. OP wants to "deal with snacking" so a breakfast high in protein (e.g., eggs) would probably help.

I'd avoid diet coke altogether because of the aspartame.

I see what you're saying about the nuts, but I don't think it would be that big of a deal to go a little high on the calories with those.

Hypothetically, let's say eggs for breakfast, then a little later, nuts for a snack, the day is starting with good protein, and that's probably around 12 hours of being low in carbohydrates. Extend that another four with a good lunch high in protein, low in carbohydrates, and you're at that 16-hour mark for ketones without starving the body out. It all depends on how someone wants to structure their day.

We don't have all the details on activity levels and workouts on OP (or what the traumatic experience was). But I just don't think having some extra nuts is going to make or break someone. And it could easily lead to less eating on unhealthier options the rest of the day.