9-5 Office Job Diet Plan

tanyewest
tanyewest Posts: 113
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi All,
Who else works a 9-5 job in an office and often finds it hard not to snack when bored, I know I do! I make sure I go for an hour's walk on my lunch break to get some fresh air after sitting on my *kitten* for 4 hours in the morning, but I can't help but feel like although I only eat a bowl of Branflakes in the morning for breakfast and nothing again till lunch that I am just sitting on that food and not burning that energy up?!

I always feel bloated after pretty much ANYTHING I eat, so afterward sitting back down at my desk for another few hours is always a struggle and leaves me feeling very uncomfortable.

Please give me all suggestions with regards to being bloated, or having the will-power not to snack in-between being bored at my desk. Any exercies are welcome for beating the bloat too!

Thanks for your help in advance :)
Love T x
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Replies

  • SageGoddess320
    SageGoddess320 Posts: 2,589 Member
    I also have an office job. I just drink water all day long. In order to stay away from the vending machine, I bring 2 snacks with me. Usually a banana, yogurt, string cheese or a Fiber One Bar. I also pack my own lunch so I don't end up getting fast food or ordering pizza. The guy in the office next to mine has a giant candy jar that he always keeps full with delicious chocolates and other assortments. This is my downfall. Whenever I'm stressed I tend to find myself in there raiding it. I have yet to figure out a way to avoid this. I wish I had the motivation to get out and walk on my lunch break. Props to you!
  • Aww nobody can resist a treat now and then, especially if you've had a stressful day so I hear you! I bring my own lunches in too, but someone pointed out to me that it is mainly full of carbs! I need to get in the habit of eating more protein and more veggies - I'm such a fussy eater though which doesn't help. It's now 11:30 and I haven't snacked once, I'm doing well :) T x
  • I tend to find getting everyone involved helps, a lot of the girls in my work, encourage each other to lose weight and in my circle of friends now too!! that helps i have to say, having someone encourage you and be there to support you and if you need chocolate i have someone to talk me over my craving its great.
  • HonestOmnivore
    HonestOmnivore Posts: 1,356 Member
    If you feel bloated after your breakfast, maybe you shouldn't have your fiber first thing? What about yogurt for breakfast (easy to digest) and fiber for an evening snack?

    I keep a bag of small green apples at work, and some hard boiled eggs - quick easy snacks that have lasting power!

    I admire your walk at lunch, I try to get one in but only manage it two or three times a week!
  • Most of my friends don't really need to lose weight so don't really have the encouragement from them, and with work ;in my department they are all men so I have no hope! This website has really helped me so far, and I've only been a member no longer than a week. Really inspirational to hear how other people are doing so well, as well as receiving great advice from people.

    Thanks everyone.

    T x
  • krl523
    krl523 Posts: 53
    You can bring your own snacks too. I bring granola bars and fruit. I try to eat something every 2-3 hourse. Water always curbs the need to keep snacking, but it sounds like you are not eating enough during the day. That is why your body is craving snacks or sweets. Most importantly you have to think about the goal and where you see yourself. That always keep me grounded. Why would I wake up early in the morning to exercise, only to sabotage it at work. Waste of time and energy, and God knows my time is already too tight with being a full time mommy. I work full time and go to school full time. Be encouraged....:)
  • I have a 9-5 job also! I bring in South Beach Chocolate bars for my chocolate melt down moments! Seems to help and they are good for you! I also keep gold fish crackers which you can have 55 for 140 calories, not bad for a snack! The fiber for breakfast is prob causing alot of the problem. Good luck to you, hope this helped! :smile:
  • It has helped alot actually - I've been eating Fibre for breakfast for years and always feel this way. Yogurt for breakfast and some fruit seems like a good idea now, ditch the Fibre for later in the day! Thanks again :) T x
  • burner
    burner Posts: 72 Member
    :happy: I take a shed load of food to work in my 9-5! mostly fruit with some protein and carbs.

    Like some of the others have said... eat every couple of hours a small meal... say you're goal is 1500 calories a day - break that down into 5 meals - 300cals a meal. Eat one of these meals every 3 hours or so (8am, 11am, 2pm, 5-6pm, 8 or 9pm)... I used to be the same - starving by lunch then I'd go crazy and eat till I was stuffed! If you don't wanna eat after 6 though you could have the combined calories for meals 4 and 5.

    will keep you're hunger at bay and keep you're metabolism at a healthy level - burning more calories while sat on you're backside! try and get the meals balanced too - complex carbs (fruit and veg) and protein - limit the processed foods! :happy:
  • LongMom
    LongMom Posts: 408 Member
    I'm in the same boat working the 9-5. You want to know what kills me??? The SMELL of other people's lunch! I'm just getting back into this weight loss mode and before this I was in a HUGE Indian Food phase. The smell of curry in my lunch room is KILLING me!

    Eating small meals throughout the day DOES help a lot.
  • JaneanAriel
    JaneanAriel Posts: 55 Member
    I work the standard office hours as well. It's ok to snack, but on a schedule.

    Breakfast @ 8am
    Snack @ 10am or 10:30am
    Lunch @ Noon or 1pm
    Snack between 2-3pm
    Dinner by Six and sometimes a snack before 8pm

    Cheesesticks, boiled eggs, Almonds,peanuts, dried fruit, Pork Skins(No carbs), Fruit or granola bars are all good snacks! You should also get your water in with every meal or snack.
  • T_R_A_V
    T_R_A_V Posts: 1,629 Member
    I always bring protien bars, beef jerky, tuna, and protien shakes
  • I've been trying SO hard to drink 8 cups of water a day and I barely manage 2 without a struggle! I normally drink alot of tea which obviously has water in so could easily get my 8 cups a day in, but now I have cut back on the tea, I can just about manage 2 bottles of Evian a day! T x
  • T_R_A_V
    T_R_A_V Posts: 1,629 Member
    I've been trying SO hard to drink 8 cups of water a day and I barely manage 2 without a struggle! I normally drink alot of tea which obviously has water in so could easily get my 8 cups a day in, but now I have cut back on the tea, I can just about manage 2 bottles of Evian a day! T x

    I dont like water that much either....but when I put ice in it..it makes it bearable
  • MirandaJayne
    MirandaJayne Posts: 600 Member
    For me I know that it helps having only 2 snacks a day one between Breakfast and Lunch and theother between Lunch and dinner. I got myself a 28oz water bottle and throw a straw in it. Right there just one of those bottles is already 3.2 of your 8, 8oz glasses of water a day. Keep it close to your computer screen and just keep sipping on it.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    I bring fruit for snacks, I also keep dry roasted edamame (seriously try this stuff, it's addictive and really healthy), and 100-calorie almond packs in my drawer. I'm on basically the same schedule as JaneanAriel, except I snack @3:00 to energize me to get to the gym.

    For water...get a nice water bottle, and flavor your water...slices of lemon, lime and cucumber (especially cucumber) really make it tastier. I started off a month ago having a really hard time with the drinking but now I'm getting at least 6 glasses a day. Like MirandaJayne said, just keep it right by the keyboard and keep sipping.
  • xXmimiXx
    xXmimiXx Posts: 564 Member
    I work 9 - 5.30 (that extra half hour really hurts haha) and we have a lovely cleaner called Mavis but every week she stocks our cupboard with biscuits and Oatibakes and cereal bars etc etc. I find when I get bored at work I start to feel really hungry when I'm probably not, I drink loads of water too and I bring in healthy snacks to choose instead of the unhealthy ones but sometimes I can't help myself! I really really need some advice on this because sometimes all the "proper food" i've eat in the day is good and healthy but it's the 4 jaffa cakes at lunch that push me over my calories! Aaaah! :indifferent:
  • I know I was greedy this morning like I told you and had an almond crossiant from Pret instead of bran flakes, and now I am STILL hungry and it cost me 365 in cals instead of 100! Boo. My theory is if I work that crossiant off in exercise then it's as if I didn't have it, so it's fine (: T x
  • sparklepants
    sparklepants Posts: 149 Member
    Mmmmm almond croissant!!!!!

    I work 8.30 til 5.30 in such a quiet office! I get so bored that I really have to try not to snack!! ATM I have fruit or the odd Sula sweet and keep little things like beetroot in the fridge that I can just go and pick at!

    Mimi, I feel you pain, we have stocked cupboards too, and currently 2 bleberry muffins that are just CALLING me!!!
  • nolachick
    nolachick Posts: 3,278 Member
    I work the standard office hours as well. It's ok to snack, but on a schedule.

    Breakfast @ 8am
    Snack @ 10am or 10:30am
    Lunch @ Noon or 1pm
    Snack between 2-3pm
    Dinner by Six and sometimes a snack before 8pm

    Cheesesticks, boiled eggs, Almonds,peanuts, dried fruit, Pork Skins(No carbs), Fruit or granola bars are all good snacks! You should also get your water in with every meal or snack.

    sound like my exact eating schedule, snacks are ok but in moderation. tru hummus with veggies, yoghurt or a protein bar (my fave is zone perfect chocolate almond raisin) - its really like a treat :)

    snacking is good just snack fruits or veggies, low cal stuff instead of junk food. chew gum and drink lots of water. tea is ok aslong as its not iced tea and such from the vending machine.
  • I work 730-430 in an office job and the boredom is killing me...all I want is potato chips!!!

    That being said I don't eat them...I bring egg whites for breakfast and microwave them, will add spinach or salsa for a veggie addition. My snack is fruit, I precut my fruit and put it in a plastic container and eat with a fork. I tend to graze on this all morning...

    Pack my protien and veggie lunch, snack is yogurt and almonds and snap peas today. Again I measure out the almonds and peas to be searving size and graze for the afternoon.

    To get my water consumption in I have a 1.5litre bottle I fill every day and pour into a glass or cup. For some reason it is easier for me to drink more from a glass than a bottle. I also try to make sure that I drink a glass an hour getting in my 8 cups a day.
  • Mmmmm almond croissant!!!!!

    I work 8.30 til 5.30 in such a quiet office! I get so bored that I really have to try not to snack!! ATM I have fruit or the odd Sula sweet and keep little things like beetroot in the fridge that I can just go and pick at!

    Mimi, I feel you pain, we have stocked cupboards too, and currently 2 bleberry muffins that are just CALLING me!!!

    I work in a quiet office too, there are currently only 5 people on my floor and it's so quiet I constantly feel the need to snack. I last ok in the mornigs, but after lunch I just want to eat eat eat. I've been snacking on rice crackers and fruit bars, that's ok right?

    I do make sure I go for an hours walk at lunch, so I guess I am burning off most of what I eat whilst walking as I am a brisk walker (:

    What nuts are good for you that don't contain a high amount of fat? I'm finding it very difficult! T x
  • sparklepants
    sparklepants Posts: 149 Member
    Yeah there's nothing wrong with rice crackers! What are the fruit bars? Could be high in sugar?

    All nuts are quite high in fat, but almonds are supposed to be the best, David Kirsch even recommends eating 5 a day! No more than that though!! I love them with flame raisins!
  • I love almonds so that's perfect (:
    My mum told me to try Brazil Nuts, they're not high in fat apparently and very good for you (only in moderation of course)

    Not a fan of Brazil Nuts though, just looking at them they don't look nice ha!
  • I work in an office with a LOT of different people and cuisine choices, and there is always someone going out to eat and bringin it in. And I am on the committee that plans all the potlucks, and stuff, so I am constanlty in charge of mass amounts of yummy food that is always placed in front of my desk!

    I try to maintain healthier choices by bringing my own lunch and snacks, especially since I am breastfeeding, I need to keep my caloric intake to about 1,800-1,900 cal/day. Hard to do that eating healthy, you have to eat all the time...

    I eat imediately following my am workout, so this is my eating schedule:

    5:30 Breakfast
    8:30-9 Snack
    12-12:30 Lunch
    3:30-4 Snack
    6:30-7 Dinner
    9:00 (occasional dessert)

    I make sure I have at least 10g protein w/each meal and close to that with each snack....

    It is hard, since I have to pump during my breaks and lunch, I do not get to walk outside, but as soon as LO is 1, I will be ending the breastfeeding and getting back into my usual routine...
  • TnTHawkins
    TnTHawkins Posts: 285 Member
    I eat dry cereal for breakfeast, then 2 hours have another snack and drink my daily water in the morning. 2hours later I eat lunch and have a snack in the afternoon unless I'm busy. Your body will digest the food better if eating in small quantities.
  • I have just started working in an office, after working in bars and restaurants and I'm finding it hard to keep the weight off after being used to such an active job.

    I try and eat 3 meals a day (plus snacks) but am finding that I snack more than I should.

    My meal plan tends to be instant oats (made with water, not milk) or a pack of belvita/weetabix breakfast biscuits on a morning, for lunch a pack of supernoodles or a cup-o-soup, dinner tends to be sausage and mash, spag bol/chilli or some form of pasta, normally with chicken. I tend to drink 3 cups of tea/coffee a day plus about 2 glasses of water. Snacks generally include a pack of low fat crisps or a slice of best of both toast with light margarine. About every other day/every three days I also have a can of fizzy drink.

    I know I need to eat healthily but find it hard to find things that I can keep at work that aren't perishable but are healthy.

    I also get up for work at half 5 and get back home at about half 6/7 so find it hard not to make convenience/quick foods

    Any help/ tips would be appreciated.

    :)
  • Azurite27
    Azurite27 Posts: 554 Member
    Work an office job. How I manage is by drinking water and pre-planning my snacks so that they are mostly healthy and I can munch on food all day without feeling guilty. Also, I've found that recently uping my water intake has helped a lot.
  • clambert1273
    clambert1273 Posts: 840 Member
    I bring my own lunches in too, but someone pointed out to me that it is mainly full of carbs! I need to get in the habit of eating more protein and more veggies - I'm such a fussy eater though which doesn't help. It's now 11:30 and I haven't snacked once, I'm doing well :) T x

    To help with protein, I cook chicken breasts on Sunday and put them in tupperware. I chop them up in the morning to use in salad or whatever my lunch is that day (if I am doing the chicken). Otherwise, I do egg salad, tuna salad etc... I discovered a love for raw spinach so I use that instead of lettuce :bigsmile: I can make a mean salad :laugh:
  • Jewelsfla
    Jewelsfla Posts: 41 Member
    I've read in a few places that peppermint tea helps with bloating.
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