According to reports from CBS News, if you work behind a desk and are gaining unwanted weight, your job could be the culprit! Surveys conducted by Careerbuilder concluded that out of 3,700 employees surveyed, more than 40% of them believed that their desk job was the reason they gained weight.
Working behind the desk can put a lot of wear and tear on your body. Sitting for long periods of time decreases your muscles ability burn fat and slows blood circulation.
While you can’t change the fact that your job requires you to be in one location for a long period of time, there are things you can do to switch up your routine that will help to keep your weight loss goals on track.
1) Eat a Good Breakfast
Most people spring for the cup of coffee without fueling the rest of their bodies. Skipping out on breakfast is a big no, no, particularly when you’re going to be sitting at a desk all day. Your body needs fuel to get through each day, eating something as small as a bran muffin, a yogurt, or even a piece of fruit can help to jumpstart your day, and prevent you from wanting to binge on snack machine foods until lunch.
2) Bring Your Own Food
Do you often find yourself eating out on the daily basis? Or maybe you find yourself scrounging for snacks from the vending machine in between breaks? Fast food and salty snacks are fine on occasion, but could also be the reason for your weight gain while in the workplace. Switch things up by bringing in your own lunch and snacks. Having healthy alternatives will prevent you from falling into the trap of ordering Chinese with your coworkers or eating those Doritos out of the snack machine.
3) Upgrade Your Office Furniture
If you really want to kick your weight loss efforts in the workplace into full gear consider a furniture upgrade. Ergonomics requests such as a stand up desk can really work wonders. Such desks allow you to work while standing up. Of course no one expects you to stand all day, but over time the stand up desk benefits can greatly improve your health. You can adjust them to your height while standing and put them down when you wish to sit.
4) Take the Long Route Or The Stairs
Instead of taking the short cut to the copy room or the cafeteria, take the long route as much as possible. This may mean taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or walking around the perimeter of the office instead of going straight down the middle, but it can make a huge difference in your health.
Your desk job doesn’t have to “weigh you down”. By being creative and switching up your daily routine, you are sure to see a big improvement in how you feel all around. Try out these ideas and with any luck, you’ll be one step closer to achieving your weight loss goals at home and in the workplace.
Today’s post was written by Kevin, an account director at for a boutique investment firm and has been working within finance, marketing and public relations for over 8 years.
