Working at a desk and losing weight

jesseviexo

I just started a desk job a month ago after having a job where I was on my feet all day and moving around. I lost weight before but gained it all back in a year. My concern is continuing to gain weight now that I'm not active as much and sitting a big portion of the day. I have a gym membership but haven't went since I started this job. By time I get home it's time for dinner, shower, then soon after bed then the cycle repeats. Sometimes I work 11 to 12 hours a day or 6 days a week. I'm normally so exhausted when I get home that I become lazy. I don't eat as much at work like I used to when I worked in a grocery store. I drink water all day.

Any ideas for getting my exercise in? And also ideas for work lunches? Thanks!

Jmgkamp

I go to the gym at lunch. I love it because it let's me escape and I know I don't have to go at night (things happen). If I eat lunch I'll just have something at my desk while working before or after the gym.

Merkavar

Well for weightloss you just got to eat less.

What sort of desk job do you have.

If you can't make it to the gym maybe try walking at lunch. Or if possible cut your hours back a bit. Like take a longer lunch or something.

Not a lot you can do if your working 12 hours.

ninerbuff

A friend of mine parks a mile away from his work to get in 2 miles a day walking. Rain or shine.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

BeesmaMFP

I also work a desk job and it's a challenge! I park as far away from the entrance as the parking lot allows. I use the bathroom that's the farthest away from my desk. When going to the copy room, I take a round about way to get there. Whenever I pass the staircase, I go up and back down before heading where I need to go. At lunch I go for a at least a 3-mile walk. I take a break mid-morning and do a quick circle of the parking lot. I just look for ways to get in more movement throughout the day. Good luck!

KiwiAlexP

If you can get up and see others instead of sending emails or phoning - can get better results as well as extra movement

JahanLindy

I understand the pressure. I am doing a whole day job too. but i guess these small yet effective tricks will help you in your problems.

aliciasilfies

I too sit at a desk most of the day, so I understand how you feel. I make sure to get up and walk around every 30 minutes and while I'm sitting I do a lot of stretches (under my desk where no one can see of course!) For lunches, I mostly bring leftovers. I tend to make extra servings of dinners that I love just so I can bring them to work. I've also started marinating chicken breasts and grilling them along with asparagus, potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower. Chicken caesar wraps and tuna lettuce wraps are my go to when I am running late or wasn't able to meal prep for the week. I also keep some snacks on hand to get through the day: strawberries, grapes, yogurt, carrots, apples and peanut butter, trail mix, and string cheese.

syndeo

Get a standing desk, its better for your health, and you burn more calories vs sitting.

RebeccaD22

I have a desk job also and when I started I gained about 20 lbs. here are some tricks I picked up after a year that have worked for me...
-if you have a water cooler, get up and walk to it frequently this also causes you to...
-get up to walk to the bathroom more and,
-get all your water in for the day
-walking on your lunch break or your 15 like I do. I have a super flexible boss who lets me and my coworkers walk like 30 minutes in the morning.
-snack on carrots and healthy foods throughout the day so that you don't have a huge lunch or dinner and over eat
-EAT BREAKFAST!
-take the stairs if you work on another floor
-park farther away
-I suffer from fatigue and an autoimmune disorder, so I completely understand be so tired when you get home from work, even if it is a desk job. But personally I know it's worth it to squeeze in a half hr power walk before I eat and take a shower and go to bed!
-get up and stretch every hour
-if possible, invest in an under the desk elliptical. (Make sure to get the measurements right) I have one that I use off and on.
-ask your boss to approve you to have a ergonomic standing work station. I work in risk management and safety and our office LOVES these. They have ones that lower and raise easily. Message me if you'd like the brand and website(I don't remember it off the top of my head).

Hope these are helpful and good luck. I know the struggle!!

Sued0nim

Log your food to a calorie defecit based on sedentary..you will lose weight whatever

Get a fitbit or similar and just generally walk more...go visit people in their offices, use the stairs, make walking part of your journey in and lunchtime ..aim for a decent mileage each day both meandering and purposeful ...it's easy enough to get in 5 miles

And you can always fit in an exercise class, lifting or home workout if you want to so can the excuses and just do it ...

Debarella

Right! I gained 40 lbs slowly at my desk job in 5 years! I walk to the post offce everyday (just under a mile rt) if I didn't have that I'm not sure how big I would be. Really having to take my snacking & activity level into my own hands. Owning my weaknesses & pushing myself to stop eating the junk. Making healthy snax for the office. Getting a fitbit really helped Me get started after Christmas. I've lost 12. 5 lbs not a lot but on my way. We can do this the desk doesn't get to win we do!

teresa_garcia29

Get up and stretch at least once every hour or every half hour if possible.

Sued0nim

teresa_garcia29 wrote: »

Get up and stretch at least once every hour or every half hour if possible.

stretching will help relieve muscle stiffness but it isn't going to help with any weight target

dalem48

Between my lunch and two breaks at work I get in 3 miles a day. I really like the idea of getting paid to take walks.

Sevendust912

You admitted in the first post that you get lazy. Stop being lazy and go to the gym in the morning, and clean up the diet.

unrelentingminx

I have a desk job but I get the bus to work and the closest it drops me is still a whopping 20 minute walk from my office so I have little choice but to walk it come rain, snow or shine.
Or I could finally learn to drive but would then have to spend longer in the gym to compensate.

SezxyStef

I have a desk job...I have lost 56lbs...yesterday was my rest day and I still got 12k steps in...without any exercise and I worked all day.

You don't have to be "chained" to your desk...bathroom breaks..water, lunch, breaks...I get my steps in easily.

But just eat less.

katieshaheen66

I have a desk job and I have lost 33 pounds since January. I make sure to do as much walking during the day as possible - on my lunch hours, if it is nice, I will walk as fast and far as I can down our main street downtown. I bring my lunch and snacks to work, rather than going and grabbing some greasy food off of a food truck at lunch, and I avoid the kitchen at all costs. There are always muffins and cookies and lots of delicious goodies there! I am a bit lucky though, I have to walk paperwork from floor to floor, and our printer is far from my desk (and I print a lot of things) so I am always able to get my steps in. Once I get home, I make dinner, do a few chores and then while I watch my shows before bed time, I go on my elliptical for an hour or two. I stick to my calorie and exercise goals, and everything seems to be fine!

lalangela

I have a desk job. I take my lunch break at the gym. I pack my lunches so I'm not tempted to grab take out. I drink my morning coffee and then water all day. It's really about deciding to make different choices. Good luck!

riss526

I work a desk job as well and most of my time is spent sitting down. I get up of course to use the restroom and to get a glass of water here and there but am not very active at work. I have a 2 year old son, so as soon as I get off work and get him picked up from the babysitter, I am running around my house for the latter half of the afternoon. I'll feed him dinner and make something for my fiance and I around 7-730, get my son to bed by 830 and be out on the elliptcal or treadmill by 845-9. I usually start a fresh episode of Grey's Anatomy on Netflix on my laptop and work out for the entirety of the episode (roughly 45 min) and then do weights, push ups, crunches, etc. for the first 15-20 minutes of the next episode that starts. I'm eating roughly 1400 calories per day and burning about 500 with just working out. You just have to fit exercise into your schedule. If you want it bad enough, you will make it happen.

insearchofcheese

I have a desk job too. I'm able to get up once every hour and go walk for few minutes - get water, restroom, etc..on my lunch break I eat lunch fairly quickly and spend the next 45 minutes walking. I bring my walking shoes. I work in a large hospital, so I can walk the long corridors and do an entire walk indoors. I can get about 2-2.5 miles in during that time if I'm motivated enough. Somehow I manage to reach my 10,000 steps during my 8 hour workday. I also dedicate at least 60 minutes either before work or after work for a proper workout.

kshama2001

Lots of good tips here! If I don't get some exercise in during lunch, I am sluggish and less productive in the afternoon. I also drink frequently and so go to the bathroom frequently, which lets me interact with gravity regularly.

Jesse - if you are too tired to exercise after work, which is understandable after an 11-12 hour day, can you exercise before or at lunch?

maxit

jesseviexo wrote: »

I just started a desk job a month ago after having a job where I was on my feet all day and moving around. I lost weight before but gained it all back in a year. My concern is continuing to gain weight now that I'm not active as much and sitting a big portion of the day. I have a gym membership but haven't went since I started this job. By time I get home it's time for dinner, shower, then soon after bed then the cycle repeats. Sometimes I work 11 to 12 hours a day or 6 days a week. I'm normally so exhausted when I get home that I become lazy. I don't eat as much at work like I used to when I worked in a grocery store. I drink water all day.

Any ideas for getting my exercise in? And also ideas for work lunches? Thanks!

There are some good suggestions above. My advice would be to pick one or two that sound do-able, and go from there. I had a pretty sedentary job when I started my weight loss journey. I decided to add "steps" incrementally and did stuff like walk to a far-away rest room instead of the one right next door, make trips down the hall by going down a flight of stairs and then back up at the end of the hall, etc. Then I started parking further away, or getting off the bus a stop or two early on days I used the bus. At the grocery I parked closest to the farthest cart-return instead of nearest the store. As the weather got decent, I started walking during a few lunch hours a week ... the incremental additions did not seem too onerous.

Merkavar

SezxyStef wrote: »

I have a desk job...I have lost 56lbs...yesterday was my rest day and I still got 12k steps in...without any exercise and I worked all day.

You don't have to be "chained" to your desk...bathroom breaks..water, lunch, breaks...I get my steps in easily.

But just eat less.

12000 steps in a rest day with out exercise at a desk job. Can you explain that to me?

Do we have a different definition of desk job?

How long is your lunch break? 2 hours where you just walk?

Just boggles the mind. If I was getting to 12000 steps I wouldn't need a desk because I would be walking around too much.

jesseviexo

I work at a busy Healthcare revenue cycle service center.... I get 30 minutes for lunch. I am still adjusting the the lifestyle and my routine. It's only been a month hopefully I will be able to figure out what works for me soon!!

blossomingbutterfly

I have a desk job and I've lost 52 lbs so far. You can totally. Seems that this thread has provided you ways to go about it. Good luck!

pinkytoes33

I have a desk job. I gained a ton of weight my first few weeks working here because all I did was sit on my butt AND go out to lunch every day with my co-workers. Yuck!
Now I work out as much as I can before work. Can't do the lunch time break thing because I want to shower. Also, my rule for myself is that I eat super healthy at work. Absolutely no cheating. I save that for my weekends when I have more time to work out!

DWBalboa

You can lose weight or maintain easy enough. I have worked at a desk for 12 years and have done it so I know you can to. Try parking the furthest away that you can so you walk more, take walks during you breaks and lunch, get up early and workout, workout after work, prepare your lunches a head of time so you have a health lunch. If you can take the stairs and instead of calling some one at work, get up and walk to their desk.
There are tons of other things you can do just get creative.
Best wishes.
DW.

sealensfit

Make sure you're in a caloric deficit if you're trying to lose weight. Working out isn't the only way to create a deficit (though it does help your metabolism to lift some weights). I would try not to snack too much at work, and make time to hit the gym. It might be exhausting in the beginning, but once you're in the routine it's much easier. Also, make sure your lunches aren't processed crap - you want good food with protein and good nutrients in it. It's all about figuring out what your priorities are! If you're not making weight loss/eating well/going to the gym a priority, it's easy to say "I don't have time". Get a gym buddy who will go with you (maybe a co-worker) and who will keep you accountable. I work 10 hour shifts in a call centre, and I always find time to cook my meals and go to the gym. It never used to be a priority for me and I was lazy, but you just need to be in the right mindset to achieve your goals! Good luck, you can do it!

kshama2001

jesseviexo wrote: »

I work at a busy Healthcare revenue cycle service center.... I get 30 minutes for lunch. I am still adjusting the the lifestyle and my routine. It's only been a month hopefully I will be able to figure out what works for me soon!!

Can you eat at your desk and walk at lunch?