How to Lose Weight in a Sedentary Job

Park at the farthest section of the parking lot to get a bit of physical activity.

Many people have careers where they sit at a desk all day and the only physical activity they get is walking to the break room for a fresh cup of coffee. This may lead to weight gain and loss of muscle tone, particularly if you also lead a sedentary lifestyle at home. You can do small things to increase the amount of physical fitness you get each day. Exercise does not have to be something you schedule at a class or gym. Doctors now realize the benefits of exercise are cumulative, even exercising for 60 seconds or 10 minute bouts adds up to making you more physically fit, according to WebMD. Working small amounts of exercise into your sedentary work environment benefits your health in many ways.

Instructions

1. Park as far away from the door to your office as possible. Even if it means leaving home 10 minutes earlier, simply walking across the parking lot is a good start and finish to the day.

2. Walk around the office building during your lunch hour or at your break time, instead of catching up on the latest office gossip. Enlisting a co-worker to do this with you helps you motivate each other.

3. Pick the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator if you have a choice. Walking up stairs is an effective exercise and gets your blood pumping, enabling you to focus better while on the job.

4. Invest in a small cooler for your desk area. Keep healthy snacks, such as celery sticks, cubes of cheese, a piece of fruit or other low-calorie nutritive snacks on hand to avoid eating a bag of chips or a candy bar from the vending machine. These types of foods are better for you and they also prevent you from crashing after a sugar high or feeling sluggish after eating carbohydrates.

5. Perform desk exercises while you are working. Even if you do not have a private office, most cubicles allow you to do this discreetly. Simply standing up while talking on the phone burns more calories than sitting at your desk. Exercises such as making air circles with your hands and leg lifts while sitting all help to burn calories, strengthen muscles and get your blood circulating. If you wear a headset, you can pump your hands into the air while talking with clients or a co-worker.

6. March in place while you are considering how to word the next telephone call, email or brainstorming ideas for a report. This exercise only requires that you push your chair out of the way and stand up to do it.

Tips & Warnings

• Eat healthy foods while at work and home; wise food choices make a large difference in your state of health. Packing your lunch not only saves you money, it prevents you from purchasing fast foods and other unhealthy choices during your lunch hour.

• If you have a private office, jog in place, shadow box or do a few jumping jacks when you start to feel listless, fatigued or stress. If you do not have a private office, step into an empty conference room or storage area during your break to do these types of exercises.

• If you are a woman and the dress code requires you to wear high heels and dresses, wear athletic shoes during the drive to work. Change into your high heels once you reach the office and then right before you leave in the evenings to walk back to your car.

References

• Georgia State University: Physical Activitiy
• WebMD: Exercises at Your Desk

Resources

• American Journal of Industrial Medicine: Sedentary Work, Low Physical Job Demand