My Job is Making Me Fat!

wvtracyann

I also have a desk job and get no exercise during the day. I only workout 3-4 times a week for about a hour each day. I ended up raising my calorie goal to 1400 and I have done a lot better. I have ended up losing 15 pound in 3 months doing this so it is possible!

Danny_Boy13

If this were me here is what I would do:

- Train on Fri, Sat & Sun (45-60min)
- Train early on 1day from Tuesday - Thursday. I would prolly pick Wednesday AM. That would be your ONLY early wake up day.

The above would mean that you get in 4 days of working out with only one of them waking up at 4ish, and I would make that one a short one like 30-40 min.

This is what I would do in the same situation.

kbolton322

Other then the 4hour drive for work this is me all the way... I have a desk job that I'm at for 8 hours a day... I have to kids that I'm helping with home work and cooking dinner at the same time...I hate getting up any earlier to work out in the mornings... and I have very little time at night... I have lost 7lbs in the past 3 weeks just from changing my foods... I'm adding in work outs if I can and bout to force myself into working out in the AMs even if I have to come to work later and get home later...

sweetpea03b

I work out 3X/week... I sit at a desk ALL DAY so I don't get a lot of burn from my day-to-day activities... and I've been losing on this system consistently (following New Rules of Lifting for Women). I do cardio maybe 1x/week. Food is everything. I stick to 1500 cals/day usually unless I have a very active day (on the weekends, say). I have cut my carb intake (mostly) to once/day and really try to incorporate more protein into my diet.

I've been lazy this last week because it's my week off from lifting and I've hit a plateau so I figured if I let my hair down.... then go back at it full speed next week maybe I'll shake my body into shedding another lb or 2 Feel free to add me and good luck!

hesn92

I'm wondering the same as a lot of other people are but haven't seen you answer... why can't you find a job closer to home? i have a 30 minute commute and I still think that is too long lol.

I only work out 3X a week. I am seeing great results. Although I lift weights so doing my workouts 3 days in a row would not work for me.

I know what you mean about wanting exercise... I sit on my butt all day long as well at work. It is so not healthy. That is one of the main reasons I decided to make exercise a priority in my life. But it's hard when you have a family. I go to the gym after work, I get there around 6pm and workout for only 30 minutes. It's not much but I value my time with my family too much to stay there for an hour or more.

MoreBean13

Yikes, this job situation sounds terrible.

I would focus on calorie control, workout on the weekends when you have time, and maybe try to be more active through your workday and increase your NEAT. Perhaps a tool like a fitbit could be beneficial in motivating activity throughout the day and fine tuning your calorie needs.

Chezzie84

I have a desk job. I work 8 hours a day and I spend 3 hours commuting.
It's not your job that is making you fat, it's your mind.
You could exercise for 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening IF you wanted to even that is better than nothing.
Sorry to be harsh but I hear so many people moaning they can't lose weight and blaming everything and everybody but not themselves that I have no sympathy left

The_Angry_Fish_Guy

I drive a desk 9 hours a day. What's your next excuse?

preslyann50

If you live near a big area like DC, LA, Atlanta sometimes you can't help how long you are in the car. Just because the time is long doesn't mean the distance is long. I lived in Woodbridge VA and Worked in McLean, it was like 14 miles maybe but the commute took forever. Hour plus. Even when I moved closer because of all the traffic it still took me 30 mins. Sometimes you can't help how long the commute is. You can though if it's a reasonable distance perhaps in nicer weather bike to work?

I am a stay at home mom during they day and I have a full time job at night. I exercise about 6 times a week. I have found a way to do exercises with my kids around. Or I exercise when they are in preschool. Jogging strollers are great for kids of all ages. It's not as fun as running or walking by yourself but you can do it. And then the kids are involved. Get hubby to go with you!
Or when you are at home with them, just do a quick circuit workout or something. Go up and down your stairs for 15 minutes.

I know exercise isn't a huge part of losing weight that a lot of it is diet but I know I eat better when I work out. Does it make sense? No. but for me it helps and so I am one of those people who if I don't work out I don't lose weight. It's like if I'm busting my *kitten* I'm not going to waste that on crappy food. But if I'm being lazy physically, I start getting lazy with what goes in my body.

Good luck!

MsKeelah919

I work a desk job, I have a hubby three kids and a house that always needs something. What I am trying now is:

Work out early. It's a b*tch, but I make myself do it, because I KNOW me and my life...If I don't work out in the morning its HIGHLY unlikely that it will happen any other time. And I'm not super strict with my food so I NEED exercise. And I have body aches and issues that can be helped with daily movement.

I take the stairs at work and I take little 10 minute walks twice a day!

I am starting TODAY going to do a workout with my kids when I get home. They are super excited about this and its two birds with one stone...Quality Time and Physical activity for us all!! NOw how am I going to cook and do laundry in the middle of this? We shall see! But I'm determined to make this a priority in my life, because I LIVE the effects of not making it a priority...I don't want to live this not ONE.MORE.DAY!

I have a baby and I lift him 2 sets of 10.

Bella0531

I try and find ways to workout as much as possible at work.

If I have to drop off some papers in my supervisor's office (three doors down), I'll go down the back stairs, through the warehouse, back inside, up the other stairs and hit her office on the way back to mine. Extra steps are always helpful!

When I use the bathroom I've made it a habit to do two sets of 10-15 bodyweight squats (once before peeing, once after).

I also try to get up every two hours or so and do 5 minutes of yoga-type stretching. Really helps me re-focus.

If I want to get in some abs, I'll go into a conference room with no windows and do planks or crunches.

How about getting one of those balls to sit on istead of your desk chair? I hear they are great for core strength. Or, maybe talk to your boss about raising your desk so you can stand all day.

Good luck!

Freebird415

I also have a job where i have no time to exercise and I also home school our five year old. One thing I do that works is get up and move every hour. Simply standing up and walking around helps me get in more movement rather than simply sitting the entire time I am there. Even if I can't always every hour, I do make the effort. Standing up and just kicking your legs back for one minute gets your blood pumping and helps with a sedentary job. It also makes you feel better. Simple things also like taking the stairs instead of the elevator makes a difference. There are many ways to burn calories in little things you do. Park at the end of the parking lot rather the front is another example. Chezzie84 is right, some sources including our wellness NP at work, says that broken 10 minute exercise sessions throughout the day are sometimes better than super 30 min to hour sessions. It keeps your metabolism going. Literature she gave me said to walk to a co-worker to give a message rather than email. ANY movement is better than none! Good luck!

baby_grl_martinez

May I ask why you can't find a different job closer to home? 4 hours a day in a car is nuts, that doesn't give you much time for anything let alone working out.

I have been here for 9 years, I have a lot of time invested in the company. Plus at the moment, I am not in the financial position to change jobs. I have multiple things that I am juggling and needless to say between a string of misfortune stemming from July of 2013, my savings is gone and I have no cushion for expenses that may occur between checks. Also, moving closer to home would drastically reduce my pay, something I cannot do at this time.

I use to have a commute buddy, but he bailed 4 years ago.

1princesswarrior

Here's some thinking out of the box:

Walk to the furthest bathroom at work, and drink a lot more water during the day
Get one of those little pedal things and pedal all day at work
Take some hand weights and for two minutes every hour or every other hour work your arms with hand weights
Do 5 squats and 5 lunges each hour
OR alternate squats/lunges and arms each hour at work and pedal while sitting
Take and am and pm break and walk around the building, tell them you started smoking (hey smokers get all kinds of breaks, right?)

You're supposed to take a 10 minute break every hour to rest your eyes anyway to avoid eye strain from the computer. Why not get paid to get fit?

Freebird415

:happy:

Foodiethinking

What about family activities and games? Bike-riding in the evenings? A go on a Wii? I'm not being funny but, sex? Walking a dog in the evenings as a family? Get a trampoline for the garden so everyone gets more active?

alidawn81

YES! Walk to the furthest bathroom! And squats in the stall!! I wonder if people can see us doing these things

I wear a fitbit everyday and I try to hit a certain number of steps each day and a certain number of stairs... in order to do so, i have to go to the bathroom on the 1st floor (I work on the 3rd). I also find 30 minutes at lunch to walk/jog... then i eat my lunch while at my desk working.

Roadie2000

May I ask why you can't find a different job closer to home? 4 hours a day in a car is nuts, that doesn't give you much time for anything let alone working out.

I have been here for 9 years, I have a lot of time invested in the company. Plus at the moment, I am not in the financial position to change jobs. I have multiple things that I am juggling and needless to say between a string of misfortune stemming from July of 2013, my savings is gone and I have no cushion for expenses that may occur between checks. Also, moving closer to home would drastically reduce my pay, something I cannot do at this time.

I use to have a commute buddy, but he bailed 4 years ago.

You're probably spending a fortune on gas and other car related expenses though, seems like you could take a bit of a pay cut and still break even. I'm sure you've thought about all of this though, I'm just thinking out loud.

khkjkk

20 - 30 minute HIIT workouts every other day, and if it's acceptable in your office:

1. Take 1princesswarr's advice on activities during work, and 2. switch out your office chair for a fitness/stability ball.

jillyrobb

Can you incorporate exercise into family time? Whenever schedules and weather permit, we do a walk around the block after dinner. I do an extra couple of laps around the soccer field while my daughter plays on the playground with her dad for a few minutes, then we head home. Even with a six-year-old in tow, I can log a mile and a half in about 30 minutes, and the bonus is she's tired and relaxed enough for bath and bed when we get home. And we all get each other's undivided attention for half an hour, which is harder to do when computers, toys, books, dinner dishes, etc. are competing for it at home.

Also, you mentioned that you have a Fitbit, so definitely start leveraging that. Do you have it linked to MFP yet? It's so nice to see those calories added to your daily allotment as you add more steps!

Try adding a little bit more to what you're already doing in your daily life: if you drive, park at the far side of the parking lot; if you take public transportation, get on/off one station further down the line and walk to/from it; or walk an extra lap around the block before you head into the office. I've started making it a point to get in more steps as I tidy up every evening: instead of carrying ten things upstairs, I'll make four or five trips. Stupid, I know, but it adds up.

It's much easier to carve out a few minutes here and there, add an extra few hundred steps at a time, than it is to find a block of 30 or 60 minutes in your day. Sure, it's not as intense, but it really does adds up--and seeing the calories added to MFP is a good reinforcement of how much it really DOES add up. It's got to be better than trying again and again to do what you think you "should" do and getting down on yourself for not being able to stick with it.

But 10,000 steps is a lot for someone with a desk job, a non-walking commute, and no free time. Try setting a goal for 5,000 steps the first few weeks, adding them in as you go; then bump up 1,000 a week as you're able. Even when I find time to do a long exercise walk, I sometimes still have trouble hitting 10,000 without really focusing on other activity as well. Better to ramp up slowly; but you'll find that once you get in the habit of looking for the extra steps, you'll find them much more easily.

If you can eventually change your job situation, then you'll be in better shape and ready to start a more concerted exercise program--but in the meantime, you'll have more energy, confidence, and mental clarity for your current tasks.

Twinmamamarion

Here's what I've found works for me:

I am DILIGENT about my calories. I enter every last little thing.

I eat a lot because I'll go nuts if I don't.

I'm at the gym at 5:15 or so every morning. I'm back around 6. (this does not happen as often as I'd like it to...I'm in Ohio under a DEEP FREEZE)

Once an hour I take a brisk walking lap around the office.

On my lunch I take a longer brisk walk around the office.

At home, after the kiddos are in bed, I pull up a Zumba or Walk Away the Pounds video on my tablet to do while I watch my shows...

It's working! I've lost 7 pounds this month.

Twinmamamarion

Oh, and yes! Take walks with the family. Do dead-lifts with your toddler. Have a dance party.

Ries2013

Do 15min HIIT as tabata ever second day at home, involve the kids and make them count for you / note your number of repetitions each interval :-) The important part is getting your pulse into max several times (the OMG I'm going to die range). When you get better or have more time, increase to 20-30 min.

Keep it simple, like this, use whatever pushes your pulse to the max:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfpfGVGqrq8

lisajsund

First things first: I have NOT read all the responses.

Weight loss is 80% proper nutrition. As long as you're eating healthy, you can lose.
It's only 10% exercise. I would concentrate on the nutrition.

Also, have you calculated your BMR? 1200 calories may be too low a goal for you.

You can visit this website and enter your stats to get a guesstimate:
http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

bountifulbeauty86

Depends on where you live, if you have a planet fitness or another gym that does deals..they are usually no more than 20 bux a month or 10 bux a month, I am fortunate to have a full 24 hr gym at work, but use what u have all u really need is a treadmill and weights...grab up some fitness dvd's or if you have cable they have tons of exercise programs, some dance some cardio some abs...whatever u need!!! Even You tube!!! Good luck

asp415

I have not read the previous posts, so I apologize if I am repeating something.

I work fulltime & have two children, I am also very active in the PTA, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts & their sporting activities. If I am too lazy to get up early to go out & run before my day starts then I drop off the kids @ school & commute to work. If I am @ work early enough I go & workout prior to work a quick 20min spin, walk, etc. I then spend my entire lunch hour working out & come back to work. This leaves me w/enough time to do all of my other activities that I am involved in. Also many times I walk w/my kids to our other obligations, like scout meetings, etc. On weekends I am up & out running before my kids are up, by the time I come back they are just waking up. This schedule has allowed me to do some form of exercise daily. It is not often that I can’t find the time to do something.

My advice would be to look @ your schedule closely & see how you can incorporate exercise into it. There is always time if you look hard enough.

ps. I work in an office sitting on my behind all day.

crazybookworm

Hi there,

Try making little changes. Instead of trying to find time to carve out 30-60 minutes at once for exercise, try taking any opportunity you can to fit in some form of physical activity. In the beginning of my journey, I was very busy was well. Here are some examples:

*Calf Raises while doing the dishes, or brushing your teeth, etc.
*Stand while folding laundry instead of sitting
*Blast some music at home and take a 5 minute dance break(involve your kids for added fun!)
*Take the stairs are work. Or on your lunch hour, run the steps(or walk them) for 15 minutes
*Walk to co-workers instead of e-mailing them
*Play time with your kids(a good 10 minutes of chasing kids around is a definite calorie burn!)
*10 minutes of sit-up's, push-ups, squats and lunges during a T.V. show
*Walk somewhere instead of driving
*Do you have stairs at home? Take 5 minutes and run up and down them for some calorie blasting
*Every hour at work, stand up and do 10 squats and/or lunges. Who cares what people may think!

I hope this helps! Keep doing what you are doing, Every little bit counts!

mr_rat

You don't need a gym, although they are good for motivation ( bird of a feather flock together". Your own body weight is all you need, I too have a desk job and a long commute. I take 2 10 minutes breaks a day and do some exercises right at my desk. then take another 10 minutes out of my lunch to do some more. I'm a BIG boy, but i am having fantastic results so far. If you have the will and are willing to sacrifice a little. Then anything is possible!!!

if you would like some more ideas. IM me. like for instance. when i clean i break the living room into quadrants. I will do lunges from one quadrant to the other, while folding clothes I will do squats. little things like that in a busy life can make a huge difference. IM me and I will help where i can, you can do IT!!

fitformidlife

I feel your pain! It's a challenge to work in exercise when you have a desk job, especially with such a long commute. In the past, when I had a corporate job, I walked at lunch time. We had 45 minutes, so I ate something quickly, then walked for 30 mins. Luckily there was a big warehouse when I could talk indoors in bad weather, and eventually several co-workers joined me.

Now I work from home (teacher at an online college), but I'm still having the same time-crunch problem. I have 25 and 30 minute DVDs, but it's still hard to fit those in sometimes so I'm seriously contemplating getting the Tony Horton 10 Minute Trainer workouts. That way, I can slip two or three in at various points in the day.

Good luck!

nerfherder83

Is your 2 hour commute home due to distance or traffic? If it takes you 2 hours no matter what time of day, disregard this, but if it takes you two hours cuz of traffic, can you "wait out" the traffic after work?

For example, I live in Southern California. It's about 55-ish miles from my house to my parents. If I started that drive at 5pm during rush hour, that drive will take me 2 to 2.5 hours and I'll get there between 7 and 7:30pm. If I wait it out and leave at, say 6:30pm, I'll be "behind" most of the traffic and it might take me an hour. I'll probably get there by 7:30 anyway. Do you have the option of "waiting out" traffic after work, allowing you to get home at roughly the same time as you normally do? If so you could start doing a 2-3 mile walk/jog near your office before you even get home. I see you're in NorCal, so I'm not sure what rush hour is like up there. Down here it's a nightmare.