When your job requires you to sit down 8 hours...

jesscowart0501

how do you loose weight when you are required to sit at a desk for 8-9 hours 5 days a week? Any ideas??

blossomingbutterfly

Change your eating habits so you are eating less. The first 30 lbs I lost on here were food intake changes alone from logging accurately on MFP. Then, when you're ready, walk home from work, take weekend hikes, do activities that your schedule allows.

Harleyb87

I set my alarm to get up every 30 minutes I go to the bathroom and do 10 -20 squats. Sounds stupid but it adds up. I have to sit for up to 10 hours at my job and after I got my job I gained around 30 pounds in the first month doing nothing different so it makes a huge difference having to sit all day

Leigh_b

get up early

Machka9

jesscowart0501 wrote: »

how do you loose weight when you are required to sit at a desk for 8-9 hours 5 days a week? Any ideas??

Eat less.


I am in that same situation ... office job, sitting lots.

But in addition to eating less, I also ...

-- walk part way to and from work.
-- go for a walk every lunch.
-- get up and walk around the office about once an hour.
-- try to take the stairs up to my office at least once a day (5 flights) ... sometimes I've managed to do it twice in one day.
-- after work, I walk or cycle for at least an hour most days.
-- on the weekends, I walk or cycle for more than an hour both days.

jemhh

The same way anybody loses weight. Eat less, move more, or do a combo.

softblondechick

I used to snack on cup of noodles at work, microwave popcorn, give myself a "treat" of Jamba Juice smoothie on the way to work...and 15 pounds snuck up on me! I ended all those treats, and refuse to eat at my desk now. I walk in the morning before work, I get to work about 20 minutes early and walk around the building. At lunch I do a quick walk outside.

Make it work.

Alatariel75

Eat less calories than you burn and use the other 16 hours of the day to get some exercise.

whatatime2befit

I have a 9-5 desk job as well. I've love 64 lbs so far. You eat better, track your food (weigh everything that you can) and count your calories to stay within your calorie allotment. Go for walks or to the gym over your lunch break. Work out in the evening time or in the morning before work.

cyronius

I get up an hour earlier than I used to and go for a run. I often go for walks at lunch. And most importantly, I eat less than I used to...

chloeelizabethm

Lunch time walks! And park further away if you can or walk to the next bus stop etc. Find a way to move a bit more and keep a supply of 'diary approved' snacks Also, you might find pre-logging your day helpful so you know in advance what you can eat during your working hours.

DavPul

jemhh wrote: »

The same way anybody loses weight. Eat less, move more, or do a combo.

Yeeeeaaaah. I'm not even sure what the question is supposed to be here. Do most people have jobs that require them to jog for 8 hours per day?

Soundwave79

If you are alotted breaks utilize them as walking time. I get an hour lunch so I use 45 mins of it to walk and then come back and use the other 15 to eat. Also when I go to the restroom I'll go to the furthest one or even go to one that is a few floors up and take the stairs. I also make it a habit to not sit for more then 30 mins. Just getting up and stretching a little at the desk gets my blood flowing again. I have a Garmin Vivofit which has the red idle bar thing and that's a good reminder for me to get up and move about for a bit. But weight loss is about diet more then anything. People like us that have idle jobs need to be extra vigilant about tracking correctly and accurately.

myfelinepal

You get to sit for eight hours a day? You must have tons of energy to work out before or after work then.

20yearsyounger

BeckaFrieri wrote: »

I set my alarm to get up every 30 minutes I go to the bathroom and do 10 -20 squats. Sounds stupid but it adds up. I have to sit for up to 10 hours at my job and after I got my job I gained around 30 pounds in the first month doing nothing different so it makes a huge difference having to sit all day

I dont do the squats but I do take breaks to walk around the hallway, to the coffee machine, smoking breaks even though I dont smoke. Thats why I got a vivofit to tell me to get my butt off the seat and move occasionally.

laurie62ann

I bounce my legs and do leg lifts at my desk, and get up every 1/2 hour to at least stretch.

yopeeps025

by eating less.

Machka9

DavPul wrote: »

jemhh wrote: »

The same way anybody loses weight. Eat less, move more, or do a combo.

Yeeeeaaaah. I'm not even sure what the question is supposed to be here. Do most people have jobs that require them to jog for 8 hours per day?

Well, not jog, but my husband is quite active all day ... agriculture industry. He burns a whole lot more calories than I do in a day.

It's a little bit frustrating for me because he can come home and have a large snack before dinner ... but I haven't burned nearly that much so I can only have a tiny portion. This motivates me to walk before and after work, and at lunch, and to take the stairs, etc. etc.

AllonsYtotheTardis

jesscowart0501 wrote: »

how do you loose weight when you are required to sit at a desk for 8-9 hours 5 days a week? Any ideas??

Yeah. No one else has th problem.

You get your eating in line. End of story.

fishgutzy

Can you set up a sit/stand work station? I do. I spend about half my day standing. I cannot sit or stand all day due to various issues. So I have a tall desk, monitor stands that raise the monitors more, and a tall drafting stool instead of an office chair. Works for me.
And I have a pair of 10# dumbbells in my office

MKEgal

Most importantly, eat less.
That's going to have more of an effect than exercise.

Build in inefficiencies.
Park at the far edge of the lot, get off the bus 1 stop earlier, take the stairs, go to the furthest bathroom or copier.

Do little bits of exercise. Fidget. Bounce.
When you go to sit down, do 5 squats. Yes, it looks strange.
Use a sturdy non-wheeled chair to do dips.
When you go to the bathroom, walk the perimeter of the floor.
Waiting for the copier or elevator? Do toe raises.

Walk on your break/lunch.
Ride a bicycle to work if you can.
Exercise before/after work.
Go for a walk while dinner is cooking.

MKEgal

Could you get a standing workstation? (Might not be an option.)
My job originally was intended to be done sitting. My "co-worker" still sits most of the time. She's also pretty round.
I got them to raise my work table so I can stand. My back feels a lot better.
So I'm standing, walking, etc. maybe half of most days. (Still have to sit to sew.)

Azexas

I work 8-4 and it's mostly sitting down. I get up and work out before I go into work and on my lunch breaks I go for walks outside weather permitting.

It's all about burning more calories than you are taking in. Make sure you are eating in a deficit and you will lose weight. Invest in a food scale if you don't have one already

terar21

I work 8-5 without lunch break (gotta take it at the desk...corporate america for ya). Aside from it meaning I burn a little less during the day, it hasn't been a problem for me. You just ensure you're active outside of work. You exercise and don't just go home and sit until bed.

It really all comes down to food. A desk job shouldn't hinder you.

colors_fade

I walk in the mornings for 45-60 minutes, and then lift 3x per week.

Obviously, the calorie deficit through food is the biggest component, but I find it's easier to make the deficit if I walk. Those extra calories burned add up.

yopeeps025

Also I workout out right after work.

KatyP29

I had a similar problem, went from standing/walking up to 8 hours a day plus walking to and from work to sitting for 9 hours and working too far away from home for walking to be an option. I wasn't too big to start with but it made the difference of at least a stone increase in weight.

I cannot really help as I have not managed to put myself right. Yet. But to all those who don't work in an office, please don't assume that because our jobs are not physically challenging we bounce home each day, the job itself can be very mentally draining and doesn't necessarily put you into an energetic mindset when you are finished for the day. At least in my experience.

And to whomever told the OP to use the other 16 hours a day!......do you not consider that 8 of those are used for sleeping, a couple could be used for travel, cooking and eating evening meal and possibly many other things that cannot be avoided.

I agree with the eat less option but who said the OP was eating a lot in the first place.

2snakeswoman

You've got to break up that sitting; it's deadly. Do some research; find ways to move more.

For losing weight, I agree with everyone else - you have to eat less.

sineadt84

DavPul wrote: »

jemhh wrote: »

The same way anybody loses weight. Eat less, move more, or do a combo.

Yeeeeaaaah. I'm not even sure what the question is supposed to be here. Do most people have jobs that require them to jog for 8 hours per day?

I sit for 8-10 hours a day in an office. When I was a student and working in retail I was on my feet constantly and yes - "jogging/running" up and down stairs to get stuff for customers. Not to mention all the lifting and carrying when accepting deliveries! I didn't realise it at the time but I would love it if I were on my feet all day again. Sitting in front of a computer makes you so sluggish!

jemhh

KatyP29 wrote: »

I had a similar problem, went from standing/walking up to 8 hours a day plus walking to and from work to sitting for 9 hours and working too far away from home for walking to be an option. I wasn't too big to start with but it made the difference of at least a stone increase in weight.

I cannot really help as I have not managed to put myself right. Yet. But to all those who don't work in an office, please don't assume that because our jobs are not physically challenging we bounce home each day, the job itself can be very mentally draining and doesn't necessarily put you into an energetic mindset when you are finished for the day. At least in my experience.

And to whomever told the OP to use the other 16 hours a day!......do you not consider that 8 of those are used for sleeping, a couple could be used for travel, cooking and eating evening meal and possibly many other things that cannot be avoided.

I agree with the eat less option but who said the OP was eating a lot in the first place.

Anybody who is overweight has been eating more than necessary to maintain at a healthy weight. That doesn't necessarily mean a lot, or a lot more, but more, period. And as for the advice to use the other 16 hours a day, it makes perfect sense to me. I don't see what is wrong with that advice. A large percentage of people who successfully lose weight do so while holding down full time sedentary jobs. If you want to lose weight you figure out how to be more active outside of that (assuming activity while working is not possible) or you eat less or you do a combo of the two.

ThatMouse

You work 8-5 5 days a week - what do you do with the rest of your day?

Me, I work out for 1-1.5 hrs before I even set foot in the office. Then I go home, play video games/do laundry for 2 hours and then head out for an evening activity of 3 hours. Come home, shower and sleep. This happens 3x a week. On the 2x a week in the remaining 5, I do my 1-1.5 hours of working out, my 8 hours of work, then hang out with my partner for the evening (and we sometimes take walks, otherwise we sit on our *kitten* and watch TV), then head home to sleep.

On the weekends, I have 3 hours of karate on Sat mornings, then the rest of the weekend as rest.

I ask again - what do you do with the other 16 hours of your day?

@KatyP29 I'm not the original person who said to use the other 16 hours of the day, but I think it's a bit of a stretch to say that the OP of that statement meant "work out for 16 hours straight - do not leave your desk, store a barbell and plates under your desk and go straight from sitting to lifting many heavy things. Do not eat, sleep or *kitten* - just lift".

But what you do in those 16 hours - whether it's sleep, working out, sitting on the pot, doing meal prep - will dictate how your results look despite those 8 hours. If you try not sleeping, obviously it's not going to be a good time. If you try not *kitten*, obviously it's not going to be a good time. I think the OP knows how to properly use 16 hours to get in the required bodily/social functions and still have enough time to workout.