Trying to maintain goals while having a sedentary job?
marysamezz
Posts: 47 Member
Hi everyone!
So I started taking my health and fitness really seriously about two months ago. Just about the same time that I gained my first job out of college, but it's sedentary. Most of my work is on the computer, they have ergo desks so you can stand and work at the same time but it still feels like when I'm doing computer work all day all I think about is FOOD.
I maintain a fitness schedule of cardio/strength 5x/week, and I try to always eat 300-400 cal below my TDEE. I have slowly (very slowly) been losing weight but I feel like it's difficult where I have a job where I can sit and eat all day.
Does any one have any tips for curb snacking all day at a desk job? I feel like it's slowing down my goals!
Thanks,
Marysa
So I started taking my health and fitness really seriously about two months ago. Just about the same time that I gained my first job out of college, but it's sedentary. Most of my work is on the computer, they have ergo desks so you can stand and work at the same time but it still feels like when I'm doing computer work all day all I think about is FOOD.
I maintain a fitness schedule of cardio/strength 5x/week, and I try to always eat 300-400 cal below my TDEE. I have slowly (very slowly) been losing weight but I feel like it's difficult where I have a job where I can sit and eat all day.
Does any one have any tips for curb snacking all day at a desk job? I feel like it's slowing down my goals!
Thanks,
Marysa
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Replies
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just because you have the opportunity to 'sit and eat all day' doesnt mean you have to... i have an office job, its made no difference to my weight loss or fitness routine.0
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I'm at my desk almost all day as well and for me it's as simple as bringing my own lunch and calculating what I bring before hand. I can't snack on food that isn't there. Also drink a but load of water. You should be sipping on water all day long.
If you have an hour lunch break go for a 30 minute walk as well. It will give you energy and burn some extra calories.0 -
Try to stick to high protein snacks to feel fuller.1
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Regardless how much you move you will lose at the same rate eating 400 cals below TDEE, the difference is your TDEE will be larger so you will eat more to lose the same amount.0
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Marysa... I am a product manager so I am pretty much chained to my desk on conference calls, working on presentations, doing research, etc... so I know the feelings you have about eating. The thing that has helped me the most is making sure I stay hydrated. I make sure I drink at least 20 ounces or water between meals and snacks. I find that drinking water helps decrease the hunger that I am feeling (or imagining). I never realized how little water I was drinking until I started religiously completing my food diary.
Good luck with your new job! All the best!!0 -
I keep my drawer in my office full of healthy snacks and have claimed a drawer in the fridge as well. That way I don't eat out during the week. I also get up and walk the office at least hourly. There are lots of body weight stuff you can do at your desk throughout the day. I also have the luxury of a door and blinds, so I can close the door at lunch and do some yoga. I even brought a mat to live in the office. You want it bad enough, you make it work.0
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<- sedentary day job.
I am impressed with the workout schedule that you are maintaining; more than I am. I've decided I am snacking too much at work too so today I brought gum. I'll see if that helps. I also get through a water bottle in a day, too.- Get a step counter and start tracking your steps. I use a Fitbit Zip. That's the lesson from MFP, isn't it, that the act of tracking can modify our behavior.
- Pick the printer/photocopier at the far end of the building.
- Take advantage of stairs wherever you can.
- Park farther from the building.
- I use any excuse to get up and moving, visiting people in their offices where I can.
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Go for a walk at lunch?0
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Peanutmanak47 wrote: »I'm at my desk almost all day as well and for me it's as simple as bringing my own lunch and calculating what I bring before hand. I can't snack on food that isn't there. Also drink a but load of water. You should be sipping on water all day long.
If you have an hour lunch break go for a 30 minute walk as well. It will give you energy and burn some extra calories.
^^ This... I'm in the same sedentary boat, but I've found that planning out my food for the day and working in sensible / satiating snacks and drinking water helps to curb the 'mindless snacking' that used to be my norm. It'll take a little effort at first, but it will soon become second nature.
Good luck!0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »just because you have the opportunity to 'sit and eat all day' doesnt mean you have to... i have an office job, its made no difference to my weight loss or fitness routine.
I'm asking people for opinions and advice because I'm saying I have a hard time not snacking all day. Just because you don't have a hard time doesn't mean no one else does.0 -
Water and I carry A LOT of snacks but healthy snacks. so if i want to eat a grab some cucumbers or carrots0
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redheaddee wrote: »I keep my drawer in my office full of healthy snacks and have claimed a drawer in the fridge as well. That way I don't eat out during the week. I also get up and walk the office at least hourly. There are lots of body weight stuff you can do at your desk throughout the day. I also have the luxury of a door and blinds, so I can close the door at lunch and do some yoga. I even brought a mat to live in the office. You want it bad enough, you make it work.
Good tip, I need to pack some healthy snacks in my desk!0 -
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marysamezz wrote: »redheaddee wrote: »I keep my drawer in my office full of healthy snacks and have claimed a drawer in the fridge as well. That way I don't eat out during the week. I also get up and walk the office at least hourly. There are lots of body weight stuff you can do at your desk throughout the day. I also have the luxury of a door and blinds, so I can close the door at lunch and do some yoga. I even brought a mat to live in the office. You want it bad enough, you make it work.
Good tip, I need to pack some healthy snacks in my desk!
You have a problem with snacking so you're going to fill your desk with snacks?
Makes sense0 -
marysamezz wrote: »
Walk at lunch. Eat at your desk after while working.0 -
I work in an office 42 hours a week. All of my work is on a computer. However, I have still managed to loose this amount of weight.
Its 90% diet and 10% Exercise, in my case at least. I walk on my lunch break after I have eaten. Then I go home and run/walk if I have time in the evening.
You can do this.0 -
I pack all my food, and bring no cash so I can't buy other things at the cafeteria. I make sure I drink through two 22 ounce water bottles per day. I walk on my morning break and my lunch (also a government job with 1/2 hour). I work on the fourth floor, and if I have to go to the bathroom or fill my water bottle, I walk down the stairs to the first floor to do those things. I get in between 8,000 and 11,000 steps in a day by doing this. And I go to the gym three nights a week, typically.0
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You have a problem with snacking so you're going to fill your desk with snacks?
Makes sense
I relate to this. The office vending machine is full of lousy options like Costco muffins and chocolate bars. I pack protein bars cut in half. If I get caught out with nothing in the afternoon, I go to my stash. Even so, I've been raiding my stash too often so today I'm trying gum.0 -
<<<Desk Jockey
- Plan your snacks out through the day to fit into your calorie goals rather than just mindlessly snacking...have a schedule...keep your schedule
- Get up every hour or so to just walk around or stretch for 5 minutes or so
- I work on the 3rd floor...I use the breakroom and facilities on the first floor and take the stairs
- I park in the corner spot of the parking lot that is pretty much as far as I can get from the door
- I always take the stairs
- When I have a question for a colleague, 9x10 I will get up and walk to their office or cubicle rather than emailing them or using the internal com.
You're already getting regular and deliberate exercise, so that's good....I try to ride 60 - 80 miles per week on my bike and I lift 3x weekly (most weeks)0 -
You have a problem with snacking so you're going to fill your desk with snacks?
Makes sense
I relate to this. The office vending machine is full of lousy options like Costco muffins and chocolate bars. I pack protein bars cut in half. If I get caught out with nothing in the afternoon, I go to my stash. Even so, I've been raiding my stash too often so today I'm trying gum.
I was being sarcastic.
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I wasn't relating to your sarcasm, 603, but to the original poster's dilemma.0
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I wasn't relating to your sarcasm, 603, but to the original poster's dilemma.
I'm just informing you.
It makes zero sense to keep a drawer full of snacks if you have an issue with snacking. Because, just as you're experiencing, it can cause you to snack too much.
I'm all for keeping healthy snacks on hand, I do it when I know I'll be running errands for a long time.
Maybe keep the snacks in your car and take a 5 minute break and walk to your car for them. Because then you can really figure out if you're hungry or not when it's 40mph winds out there.
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You have a problem with snacking so you're going to fill your desk with snacks?
Makes sense
Actually, it does if you plan your snacks and track and limit them. I keep stuff that is satisfying but with few enough calories that it doesn't put me off track the entire day. The days I get off track with snacking are usually the days I'm exhausted. That tends to be my trigger.
I am old enough that I remember when snacks were not expected and common. I do find that if I get used to being appropriately hungry between meals, I do better. But then, hunger's not my trigger, fatigue is. I can be hungry before lunch and not go overboard -- for many people, it's a trigger to overeat. You have to assess your own habits and situation.
I have found that a giant bag of cut-up veggies leaves me little room for other food, but I don't mind eating them without dressing. Babybel Light cheese and an apple, a single clementine orange, an ounce of jerky -- MOST days, this gets me through. If it doesn't I eat a little more, but try not to go overboard. I believe in a sustainable plan, and being hungry and cranky all the time is not sustainable for me.
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marysamezz wrote: »TavistockToad wrote: »just because you have the opportunity to 'sit and eat all day' doesnt mean you have to... i have an office job, its made no difference to my weight loss or fitness routine.
I'm asking people for opinions and advice because I'm saying I have a hard time not snacking all day. Just because you don't have a hard time doesn't mean no one else does.
i think the advice here is to flex your willpower, and it's solid advice.
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marysamezz wrote: »redheaddee wrote: »I keep my drawer in my office full of healthy snacks and have claimed a drawer in the fridge as well. That way I don't eat out during the week. I also get up and walk the office at least hourly. There are lots of body weight stuff you can do at your desk throughout the day. I also have the luxury of a door and blinds, so I can close the door at lunch and do some yoga. I even brought a mat to live in the office. You want it bad enough, you make it work.
Good tip, I need to pack some healthy snacks in my desk!
You have a problem with snacking so you're going to fill your desk with snacks?
Makes sense
healthy snakcs can help curb your appetite and prevent over indulging later. So yeah.0 -
Sarcasm caught and answered. I habitually keep snacks because of a long-standing diabetes diagnosis, now in remission. I never let myself get too hungry.
I also prevent over-eating at home after work by timing my afternoon snack for about 3:30 in the afternoon. That means having relatively healthy options available.
Willpower is overrated. I restructure my environment to help achieve my goals.0 -
marysamezz wrote: »marysamezz wrote: »redheaddee wrote: »I keep my drawer in my office full of healthy snacks and have claimed a drawer in the fridge as well. That way I don't eat out during the week. I also get up and walk the office at least hourly. There are lots of body weight stuff you can do at your desk throughout the day. I also have the luxury of a door and blinds, so I can close the door at lunch and do some yoga. I even brought a mat to live in the office. You want it bad enough, you make it work.
Good tip, I need to pack some healthy snacks in my desk!
You have a problem with snacking so you're going to fill your desk with snacks?
Makes sense
healthy snakcs can help curb your appetite and prevent over indulging later. So yeah.
Or they can lead to over-indulging in the present.
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I'm a full-time computer geek, which is as sedentary as it gets. You're doing good with the workouts, so big plus there. I'll second the vote for high-protein snacks (although with the caveat that protein doesn't always have a high satiety value -- depends on the person). Most days, I'll go through a quart of fat-free, sugar-free yogurt (half in the morning, half in the afternoon). 500-ish calories, but they're better calories than candy or chips. I'm also drinking pretty much constantly -- usually a mix of diet sodas (it's a known fact that programmers convert caffeine into code) and water (usually with some sort of artificial sweetener to cut the chlorine taste). As you can tell, I'm not a poster child for clean eating
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marysamezz wrote: »marysamezz wrote: »redheaddee wrote: »I keep my drawer in my office full of healthy snacks and have claimed a drawer in the fridge as well. That way I don't eat out during the week. I also get up and walk the office at least hourly. There are lots of body weight stuff you can do at your desk throughout the day. I also have the luxury of a door and blinds, so I can close the door at lunch and do some yoga. I even brought a mat to live in the office. You want it bad enough, you make it work.
Good tip, I need to pack some healthy snacks in my desk!
You have a problem with snacking so you're going to fill your desk with snacks?
Makes sense
healthy snakcs can help curb your appetite and prevent over indulging later. So yeah.
Or they can lead to over-indulging in the present.
i highly doubt eating half a cucumber to help prevent over indulging when your starving later is going to do more harm than good. I posted this for helpful and positive advice. Not for an oppurtunity for negativity to flourish. I think that keeping almonds or trail mix in my desk to go to instead of unhealthy snacks would be helpful to me. You saying that it won't work is negative and it's an opinion on what is or isn't helpful to you. You're accomplishing nothing but exuding negativity.0 -
I have a desk job. I keep unsalted almonds in my desk drawer and carrot/celery sticks in my lunch bag. I try to go for a walk on one or both of my 15 minute breaks. On occasion I will indulge in a homemade goodie that someone brings but it's few and far between. Common sense, will power and gym.
Good luck.0
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