How do you stay healthy at work?

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  • Pocket_Pixi
    Pocket_Pixi Posts: 1,167 Member
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    When do you work out? Before or after work, depends on when my *kitten* gets up.

    What do you take to work? depends on the day, I bring my lunch and 2 snacks... usually my first snack is veggies of some sort, and my second snack is fruit.

    Do you eat breakfast? Sure do, I usually have toast with something on it. My latest is toast with avocado on it. Or eggs.

    Do you pack your lunch? Always.. I am too cheap to eat out, and I work on the industrial end so my food options are pretty limited to ... McDonalds, Burger Kind, A & W or Quiznos.. or 7-11.
  • inotnew
    inotnew Posts: 218 Member
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    When do you work out? I get up 5:30 and go to gym or hit the road running

    What do you take to work? I bring healthy snacks with as much fiber and protein for a reasonable for my day

    Do you eat breakfast? Yes, sometimes just a boiled egg, or peanut butter on a slice of wheat bread

    Do you pack your lunch? Yes, almost always. But I often have a microwave meal for selection. I watch calories, fat and sodium when I buy them.
  • LeanMeanFitnessMachine
    LeanMeanFitnessMachine Posts: 659
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    How do you guys stay healthy at work when you're working a 9-5 style job.

    When do you work out?

    What do you take to work?

    Do you eat breakfast?

    Do you pack your lunch?

    I need advice!

    Thank you :)

    Well, I don't work full time, but I do have class from 8am-3pm which is similiar. Here's what I do:

    - I workout at night or directly after class (before work) because there's no way in hell I could commit to 5am gym sessions everyday. However, I work at a gym, so its easier for me to workout, shower, and clock in - just have to pack a dinner.

    - Not only do I bring a packed lunch to school, I also pack alot of healthy snacks (nuts, grapes, an apple, kiwifruit, fat free yogurt, etc) so that I'm not tempted to get smtg unhealthy from the vending machines.

    - I eat breakfast every morning. Usually the same thing everyday: oatmeal made with 1% skim milk, sometimes a slice of wheat bread with peanut butter. Tons of fiber and tons of protien, so it keeps me full till my midmorning snack and allows me to focus on class instead of my next meal. Eating breakfast has been shown in studies to jumpstart both your metabolism and various hormones that aid in metobolic stability and weight loss.

    - Yes, I pack my lunch. Much cheaper, much healthier, much easier. Usually I pack a pbj on wheat or turkey & baby spinach on wheat with a peice of fruit or raw veggies.
  • PanteraGirl
    PanteraGirl Posts: 566 Member
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    Bump....this might help me too!!! LOL
  • Quasita
    Quasita Posts: 1,530 Member
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    I work 10-7 most days, and the way I'm making this work is I plan ahead for my meals and eat generally the same stuff every day.

    As for working out, I work out AT MY DESK using a mini-stationary bike to get cardio in. You can get bikes, stair steppers, and ellipticals in miniature form (usually just the pedals and resistance, though can get fancier) and find information about average calorie burn. The bikes are about equivalent to a regular stationary bike. I have burned off over 11 pounds since I started using it consistently, in about 2.5 weeks.

    Using it also means I don't have to find extra time in my day to go to the gym. I do classes and stuff from home as well, but most of my cardio is happening while I'm getting paid. If you can pull it off, I highly recommend it, because the legs are also the biggest muscle group and will burn a lot of calories if you keep them working.

    I use break minutes and standing breaks to stretch out. I eat smaller meals and have snacks ready throughout the day so I'm not sitting with a bunch of calories doing nothing. I drink a ton of water, a couple non-caffeine sodas, and take vitamins.

    I think it can be a lot easier than some people make it. There are entire workouts that are designed to be done at your desk, you just have to look for them!
  • ctlinj7
    ctlinj7 Posts: 151 Member
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    How do you guys stay healthy at work when you're working a 9-5 style job.

    I get up and walk around the building 2 times in the morning and 2 times in the afternoon. I also take the stairs instead of the elevator - but I only work on the 3rd Floor. I bring my lunch EVERY day. My cube is off of the breakroom so I try to avoid it all costs since most people at my work bring in baked goods, cakes, etc (Seems like there is a birthday party everyday) and I don't want to give into the temptation of donuts, cakes, cookies, and anything else they bring.

    When do you work out?
    Straight after work. I bring a gym bag with me to work and go directly after. If I don't I'll get home and convince myself that i have this and this to do, etc. I also work with a trainer 2 nights per week.

    What do you take to work?
    My lunch - Grilled Chx Salads, different meats - usually cooked in crockpot on Sundays to prepare for the week, apples, bananas, cottage cheese, and sometimes I will bring a protein shake.

    Do you eat breakfast?
    Every day. I cannot function without it. I start my day with Eggs and sometimes even bacon, yes bacon!

    Do you pack your lunch?
    YES and your wallet will thank you for it :-)


    Thank you :)
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    When do you work out? Before work, at lunch, in the evening, on weekends

    What do you take to work? sneakers, exercise ball, meals, snacks, water

    Do you eat breakfast? yes - I bring it with me. 2 hard boiled eggs, yogurt, and oatmeal are my favorites

    Do you pack your lunch? yes, I prepare my food for the week on Sunday and freeze it. Meats and veggies are portioned together and carbs are portioned by themselves. That way I have my own healthy freezer meals.

    I also don't take cash or change so I can't get anything out of the machines.
  • rayleansout
    rayleansout Posts: 234
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    Prepare! Take one hour every Sunday and prepare at least 6-8 good meals and snacks for work, pre package them in plastic bags and your ready for anything.


    Example:

    6oz chicken breast
    sweet potato cut into strips

    steak and broccoli

    ground lean beef
    low carb wrap
    cheese

    oatmeal and smashed apples with cinamon
    Always have fresh salad greens available to throw in a baggie.
  • alexbelly
    alexbelly Posts: 277 Member
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    How do you guys stay healthy at work when you're working a 9-5 style job.
    When do you work out?
    What do you take to work?
    Do you eat breakfast?
    Do you pack your lunch?
    I need advice!

    Thank you :)

    For me, staying healthy at work was the easy part.. It was the weekend temptations that always hard.

    I have breakfast on the way to work, usually a protein shake, or bread n peanut butter, or bread n a hard boiled egg from the night before

    I have a morning snack when everyone goes out for the morning smoke (10:00ish)

    I bring my lunch.. lean cuisine or left overs from the night before

    I have a 3:00pm snack, which coincides with everyone's afternoon smoke

    Then I start cooking the second I get home.

    The key is planning ahead. I make sure I always have seasoned meat thawed and ready to cook in the fridge. My lunch is packed before I go to bed every night.
    A lot of people cook most of their food on Sundays- I tried that but I usually get bored by Wednesday.

    I made my food diary public, if you want to take a look.
  • Gia6280
    Gia6280 Posts: 47 Member
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    I have a gym at my work so I work out on my lunch hour, it's the only time I can fit it in.
    I make a breakfast casserole on sunday so that I have a healthy breakfast for the whole week. I also pack my lunch Monday - Thursday, allowing myself to go out for lunch on Fridays as a treat.
    I have to make sure I bring in plenty of snacks to munch on throughout the day, like fresh veggies and drink a lot of water.
  • darylinny
    darylinny Posts: 146
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    The best thing to have at work is a "support group" or at least one other person who is committed to a healthier lifestyle. I have a typical 9 to 5 desk job but I'm usually running around to meetings on different floor and I take the stairs all the time. I also have a 10 minute walk from the subway (more stairs) to my office.

    I work out 2 or 3 days afterwork, my commute is a little over an hour so I stop home, change my clothes have a 110 calorie bagel with 1/4 serving of peanut butter, I make and freeze my own recovery shakes (with frozen fruit, almond milk and protein power) for after my work out. I get to the gym at 6:45pm (warm up cardio), work out with my personal trainer at 7:00pm for a half hour, then do more cardio for another 30 minutes. Go home, have some fish or chicken and veggies then my recovery frozen treat! On the weekends I'm in the gym for about 1 1/2 each day.

    I have cereal, oat meal, and other portioned out snacks at my desk. I keep yogurt and almond milk in the fridge. And if I don't have that for breakfast I'll have an egg white omelette with spinach, veggies and turkey. I also have hard boiled eggs for breakfast too.

    I bring my lunch occasionally but I usually go out to eat. Subway is a HUGE help in a pinch, but we go to restuarants too. When that happens I just look at the menu online before we go out and plan what I'm going to eat before I get there....I don't even ask for a menu. Then I portion the food out and eat the actual serving size and take the rest home for dinner or lunch the next day.

    I think it comes down to portion control, and avoiding the vending machines or other "triggers" more than having to bring your food to work everyday. Best advice I can offer is to plan out your meals and snacks the day before, that way you know how many calories you are going to consume. And even if you go over you can adjust your exercise for that day or even your calorie intake for the next day.
  • storejerky
    storejerky Posts: 7
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    Where I am based the moment it's hard for me to get to a gym at lunch, so I make sure I go out for at least a 30-45min brisk walk. As for taking things to work I try and avoid too much bread / pasta. So tend to make a homemade soup / stew and reheat for lunch. As for snacking I tend to have a pot of cottage cheese or home-made protein flapjacks around. On top of that I make sure I get my daily quota of water over the whole day and try not to have too much black coffee! :)
  • DannyMussels
    DannyMussels Posts: 1,842 Member
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    I don't eat at work and always bring my own food. (we get free meals but I always bring a smoothie, occasionally i have 2 or 3 eggs there)

    And I avoid anything anyones offering. (cookies, cake, specials)

    Drink about 2L of water while I'm there. (no flavored coffees, one dude downs 5-6 cans of soda daily)

    It's pretty simple, I just do the OPPOSITE of everyone else there.
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    I found a way to sneak in a full body workout ON THE JOB!
    I did calisthenics in out of the way places.
    Every office has them.
    And yes, I brought my own foods from home and totally controlled what I ate, including a hearty breakfast.
  • openskybeach
    openskybeach Posts: 294 Member
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    I am no expert, but I walk on both 15 minute breaks and sometimes at lunch. I boil eggs in the morning (self cooking and easy) take them to work and have em with whole wheat toast, no yolk, or just part of a yolk, any extra, just the whites. Maybe some cheese too. Usually around 300 cals. But def walk at work during breaks. That has helped me recently :)
  • cj4kids
    cj4kids Posts: 22 Member
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    I make a breakfast casserole on sunday so that I have a healthy breakfast for the whole week.
    I'd really like to know what's in a breakfast casserole. I eat cereal every day which is a bit boring.

    Like pretty much everyone, I just take my own food. There is often some shared food around, I tend to make a cuppa and drink that, then noone notices I'm not eating.
    I only work part-time and come back to my preschoolers, and sadly there is no shower at my work, so exercise during the work day is impossible. Before kids I used to exercise at lunchtime, now I have to force myself to do a walk once kids are in bed, luckily we have dogs who insist that one of us go out with them.
  • chachita7
    chachita7 Posts: 996 Member
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    How do you guys stay healthy at work when you're working a 9-5 style job.

    When do you work out?

    What do you take to work?

    Do you eat breakfast?

    Do you pack your lunch?

    I need advice!

    Thank you :)

    My schedule looks something like this

    4:30 am - wake up
    5:15 - 6:30 - Gym time
    6:40-7:20 - get ready for work (while hubby starts, sometimes fully cooks, breakfast)
    7:30-7:40 - sit down breakfast
    10:30 - snack
    12:30 - 1:30 - lunch (packed the night before, mostly leftovers from dinner) and a quick walk around the building
    4:30 - snack
    7-8 - dinner

    **I keep my 24oz water bottle right next to my computer monitor and consume about 3 of them during the day.

    bed by 11....
  • ruby_red_rose
    ruby_red_rose Posts: 321 Member
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    I work for a huge software engineering firm, and have a very stressful and intense job. To stay on track, I do the following:

    1. Keep breakfast at work (fiber one cereal, greek yogurt)
    2. Pack lunch (lean protein, veggies)
    3. Keep snacks at work (laughing cow cheese, protein shake, nuts, nut butter, soy nuts, jerky)
    4. Wear a pedometer and make sure I take 5000 steps while at work. This means I walk to my colleagues offices instead of IM'ing or emailing as much as I can. If I see that I do not have enough steps, I take a walk in the middle of the day.
    5. I have a sit/stand desk at work. I try to stand multiple hours a day.
    6. I park really far away.
    7. I take my gym bag with me to work, and stop by the gym after work. This way, there is no excuse to not work out.
    8. I drink at least 36 oz of water while at work.

    Trust me, all of these add up. I have lost 43.4 lbs in the last 6 months.
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
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    How do you guys stay healthy at work when you're working a 9-5 style job. - Work days are easier than weekends!

    When do you work out? Every morning before work..then I shower and dress there and head to work. Sometimes I do a double and hit the gym on the way home, but not too often. I've been known to hit the mall at lunch and do a lap or two around that to get some extra cardio in (especially when I'm a little stressed).

    What do you take to work? Snacks, lots of water

    Do you eat breakfast? Yes, but not always before my workout...but afterward, I need something.

    Do you pack your lunch? YES...almost religiously (with the occasionally 'lunch out' planned in advance - but restaurant foods always blow my sodium sky-high, so I avoid it most of the time).

    PLANNING is key. At night, I pack my gym bag (and when its warm, even put it in my car the night before so I'm less likely to back out). I plan my lunch and make sure everything is accessible in the fridge to just throw into my lunch bag and go. Coffee maker is ready for one button starting and workout clothes are in the bathroom closet so I can dress and brush my teeth quickly and get moving.
  • empc
    empc Posts: 88 Member
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    Pack your lunch the night before...so much easier

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