The Sedentary, Full-Time Work Struggle

swagoner94
swagoner94 Posts: 220 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm on, how I like to say, "the struggle bus!"

I'm only a Junior in College, 19 years old, and for the first time ever, I have a full-time job. Not even full-time! I have yet to work 40 hours a week. My day is anywhere from 10-12 hours of sitting in a chair, staring at a computer screen. I haven't even worked here a complete month and I've gained roughly 10lbs!!! I still exercise, I still try watching what I eat, yet I can't seem to stop the weight gaining cycle. I absolutely HATE the full-time sedentary work life. Unfortunately, I have one full month left of it. PLEASE someone offer me some helpful advice. I wanted so bad to come back to the fall semester of school looking awesome and fit.... and I've gained weight! (yes, mostly for health and myself.... but I also have a *kitten* ex-bf I would like to make feel STUPID.) Please help me.

Replies

  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    You have to create a bigger calorie deficit from before since you have a desk job like I do. I actually eat the majority of my calories at work.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    Look for ways to fit in activity. Do others in the office take smoke breaks? If so use that time to walk. Get up, stretch and walk around for a few minutes at least once per hour.

    And yes, as the poster before me mentioned, weight gain is about eating more than you burn. If you're less active you need to either increase activity at other times in the day or eat smaller portions.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Are you tracking your food here? If os, did you adjust your activity level to sedentary when you started working?

    Weight gain/loss really is a matter of calories in vs caloreis out. If you're eating more than you need, you'll put weight on and if you eat less, you'll lose. One of my best friends went from being a moderately active SAHM to working full time in an office and started putting weight on pretty quickly too. She was used to eating a certain way and that was perfect for a more active person but a bit too much for someone who spends most of their day in a chair.

    So, make sure your settings are accurate and plan your eating to stay within goal. Also try to get in some activity on your days off and before/after work. Even if you only have 15 minutes to do a quick circuit, that's better than spending those 15 minutes sitting on the couch. Good luck!
  • swagoner94
    swagoner94 Posts: 220 Member
    Are you tracking your food here? If os, did you adjust your activity level to sedentary when you started working?

    Weight gain/loss really is a matter of calories in vs caloreis out. If you're eating more than you need, you'll put weight on and if you eat less, you'll lose. One of my best friends went from being a moderately active SAHM to working full time in an office and started putting weight on pretty quickly too. She was used to eating a certain way and that was perfect for a more active person but a bit too much for someone who spends most of their day in a chair.

    So, make sure your settings are accurate and plan your eating to stay within goal. Also try to get in some activity on your days off and before/after work. Even if you only have 15 minutes to do a quick circuit, that's better than spending those 15 minutes sitting on the couch. Good luck!

    I do track my calories and I've been running after work or if I don't have the energy or daylight to run I'll do Insanity in the house. I've only started this week being disciplined about working out every single day no matter how tired I am but it's hard! Some nights I don't get home till 8pm and I just want to sleep since I wake up at 4:30am! I'm losing my mind sitting in an office all freaking day :'(
  • modestbender
    modestbender Posts: 10
    Walk on your breaks (I used to walk down and up the stairs when I worked in an office on the tenth floor), see if they'll let you bring in an exercise ball to sit on (supposedly you'll burn an extra 200-300 calories a day from sitting on it 8 hours), and pack your lunches and snacks (if you eat out for lunch everyday that's probably adding a lot of calories, and is harder to track).
  • j75j75
    j75j75 Posts: 854 Member
    As others have said, you need to adjust your settings on mfp to sedentary so that it will more accurately calculate your calorie needs. You can try walking on your breaks, even if not on a break you can get up for a min, stretch, and do a quick set of push-up, squats, lunges, etc. I do IF myself, which you may want to look into

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