Recently started desk job...

I'm currently at a desk job. I get up to refill my water and visit the restroom once per hour and I try to park in the back of the lot to get extra steps in. I only get 30 mins for lunch so I typically just eat slowly and read a bit to relax. I stay at my calorie goal and I also work out at our apartment gym after work for 30-45 mins each day.

As long as you have a calorie deficit, your job won't matter as far as losing weight goes. I exercise because I want to, it makes me feel better and allows me to eat a few more calories than my 1200 goal (I'm very short). Good luck!

kidd_xdk wrote: »

So I recently started a new job that is much better for me chronic illness wise. The downside is that it's a desk job, and the girls I work with have all said they've put on weight since starting.... I've been struggling with losing weight for 3+ years, especially since there's a chance my illness is weight related (it's rare, so not much is known about it).

Fellow desk jobbers- How do you stay active and keep up with your weight loss? I'm hoping once I get used to waking up early I'll have energy to actually move around after work, but right now I feel like I'm just getting home, feeding myself and my animals, and going right to bed most nights.

It's a struggle for me I won't lie. I have to watch what I eat every day and force myself to run after work as I don't feel like going home and exercising! Especially in the winter.

I also get really cold so for me, when I'm feeling particularly crap I go to the bathroom (we have large bathrooms) and do a bunch of squats, wall push ups and any other non-jumping full body exercise I can think of. This keeps me active-ish during the day and somewhat warm.

You will get used to the early starts. Try to take a short walk at lunch time, even just 15 minutes as this breaks up the monotony and really ups your energy for the afternoon. If you take transport to work, try getting off a stop earlier on your way to and from work and walking that extra distance, just to keep moving. Best of luck!

indigoblue9572 wrote: »

I'm currently at a desk job. I get up to refill my water and visit the restroom once per hour

^this, as well as doing a 1min plank if I can find a spare room (I am getting some mega weird looks)

jemhh wrote: »

I exercise before work or after work.

and this - but can see how animals might make this difficult to impossible.

But yes, be aware of, or stay away from the 'office snacks'. There is always somebody's birthday and all the associated junk food!

kidd_xdk wrote: »

So I recently started a new job that is much better for me chronic illness wise. The downside is that it's a desk job, and the girls I work with have all said they've put on weight since starting.... I've been struggling with losing weight for 3+ years, especially since there's a chance my illness is weight related (it's rare, so not much is known about it).

Fellow desk jobbers- How do you stay active and keep up with your weight loss? I'm hoping once I get used to waking up early I'll have energy to actually move around after work, but right now I feel like I'm just getting home, feeding myself and my animals, and going right to bed most nights.

Your calorie requirements will be less than someone with an active job...so you eat fewer calories to compensate for the fact that your job is rather sedentary.

I make time for deliberate exercise 6 days per week (usually)...I think this is particularly important for people who otherwise sit most of the day.

I try to make sure I get up every hour and do a quick walk around my office...I work on the third floor, so I take the stairs down to the first and go across the building and back up the stairs on the other side and back to my office. This allows me a little social interaction with staff as well. I also do things like park further away from the building and other venues...I skip on the "rock star" parking most of the time. When I get home in the evenings I'm busy cooking dinner and prepping my breakfast, lunch, and snacks for the next day...often some cleaning or a little light yard work...I don't go home and go straight for the couch.

My typical weekday:

Wake up @ 5:15, feed the dogs & let them out, then get ready for work. Leave home about 6am. I get to work just past 7am. Office does not open til 8am, but this gives me some me time to walk around the office, check personal emails, etc. And by leaving when I do, I avoid school-bus traffic. If I left home at 6:30/6:45 I'd get to work by 8am but spend more time in my car. And one of the dogs will howl (husky) by 5:30 no matter if I'm still in bed or not, wanting to go out.

Lunch hour is noon to 1 - and I typically walk @ lunch and then eat at my desk.
Leave work @ 5pm. Stop by grocery store, or pick up kid from band practice after school, etc. Arrive home between 6:15-7:15 pm depending on the day and what stops I make.

Once I'm home, I make dinner for the kids, run or walk either in the neighborhood or on the treadmill. Make dinner for me & Hubby. (Sometimes its one dinner for all, sometimes its not.) Generally sitting in bed and watching tv by 9 or 9:30. Go to sleep about an hour later.

Desk job for about five years. We aren't able to park in the parking garage next to our building so I park far away and walk in to work. I have a 15 minute morning break, 30 minute lunch, and 15 minute afternoon break where I get outside and walk during all of those. I eat at my desk throughout the day so I can use my breaks and lunch to get moving. I also have a fitbit that vibrates at 10 minutes till every hour to make sure I get 250 steps at the least per hour.

I work 7 am to 3:30 pm so after work I go straight to the gym! It's really very easy to not gain when you have a desk job if you make it a priority.

BurlzGettingFit wrote: »

Desk job for about five years. We aren't able to park in the parking garage next to our building so I park far away and walk in to work. I have a 15 minute morning break, 30 minute lunch, and 15 minute afternoon break where I get outside and walk during all of those. I eat at my desk throughout the day so I can use my breaks and lunch to get moving. I also have a fitbit that vibrates at 10 minutes till every hour to make sure I get 250 steps at the least per hour.

I work 7 am to 3:30 pm so after work I go straight to the gym! It's really very easy to not gain when you have a desk job if you make it a priority.

I forgot to add that I don't mindlessly snack and I prepare my lunch and two snacks the night before so I know it fits into my calories for the day. I feel full longer with lots of protein in my diet so I make sure I have plenty of foods with that.

Desk jobs are what they are.. sedentary. I work out before going into work for 90 minutes or more so I don't have to worry about it. I have to get up at 5:30am to do it, and it seems like it's impossible but once you are used to it then it's not so hard to do. I gained probably 80 lbs over 8 years in this desk job, so don't let it happen to you. Now that I've lost the weight I make sure to get my required exercise in before I go to work and on weekends as well.

Desk job here - I work out during lunch 3-4 days a week, and try to be more active after work with my family whether it's going for walks or running around in the backyard with the kiddos. As far as eating, I would just adhere to MFP as best as you can. Deskjobs can be boring, so snacking can fill that void. Healthy snacks are key. Good luck to you!

I get up in the morning (most days) and do 20 minutes on the elliptical I own before getting ready for work. I TRY to get up every hour and walk 2 "laps" around the entire building floor, which is right at 250 steps per my Fitbit. I walk 1+ miles before lunch (1/2 hour of walking, 1/2 hour of eating) and I park as far away as I can...time permitting. I have a VERY sedentary job. There is virtually NO work-related reason for me to take my butt out of my chair. You do what you can.

Office tip #1 Free food is never free. It taxes the gel out of your body

I have been at my current desk job for a year now, and I'd have to say the most important thing to consider is making time to get up and move! Even if it's just to the restroom. I also get up for my 15min break and walk around outside. This helps me get my steps in, and really refresh my day.

I always have things I'd rather do after work, so my week looks like this:
M/W/F: up at 4:40, class at gym at 5:30, at work by 7:30
T/Th: "sleep in" to 6:30, at work by 7:30. Tues night class at gym at 8pm - my "me night" out of the workweek
Sat: up at 6, gym class at 7 so that I can go have fun the rest of the day
Sun: rest
Now that it's nice outside (I do not do cold), I try to go for a walk in my neighborhood after work if it's not raining. I have a nice 25 minute route, with an alternate 45 minute loop for Sundays.
I keep breakfast (wholesum bars from Wegmans) at my desk so that I never have to think about it in the morning, and I bring lunch (usually leftovers) whenever possible. Saves me money and makes it easy to eat well. We cook dinner probably 28 nights a month, which also helps. And even if my boyfriend picks a recipe that puts me over my calorie goal for the day, it is still much better than eating out.
I did ok when it was just work that took up my time; I gained about 10 lbs when I got my MBA - turns out 2-3 nights a week in class after a full day at work for two years was just too much. I was eating worse and exercising less during that time because I had to keep up at work and in class, and people often brought in treats or fast food meals to share to get us all through 3 hour classes.
I can't really get up and move during the workday - my work clocks our time to the minute so if I was up and down and in and out of the building a lot it would raise eyebrows -and red flags- so I do what I can to be active outside of the office...hence my early morning gym routine.