People with desk jobs

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Namastea83
Namastea83 Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hiya guys,
I've had a desk job for the past 6 months after previously working in hospitality. No surprises that the weight has piled on! Anyone else struggling with the same thing? There are loads of 'desk exercise' suggestions floating around but I find them not really practical. I'm pretty active outside of work, but looking for some motivating people to get me moving through the day
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  • floofyschmoofer
    floofyschmoofer Posts: 209 Member
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    When we get slow, I do a lap or two outside around the building.
  • Namastea83
    Namastea83 Posts: 5 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I don't do desk exercises, but I do get up every hour or so to walk around for a few minutes...take the scenic route to the bathroom or break room or whatever. Get up and go talk to colleagues instead of hitting them over the intercom or email. Take the stairs (I work on the third floor). Park further away from the building and any other buildings I go into (grocery store, etc).

    Beyond that, I just make sure I'm doing deliberate exercise outside of work.

    All that said, I learned a long time ago that even with regular exercise I have to eat less with a desk job than when I worked retail and landscape construction.

    I work on the 15th floor, which is...34 flights of stairs up! That's a challenge to work towards! 😊
    The colleagues I'm in contact with work on the other side of the country, so I often find myself engrossed in work and haven't moved for quite a while.
    I park as far away as possible from the building though, and will make myself take breaks away from the desk more often
  • Lorleee
    Lorleee Posts: 369 Member
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    I go for lunch walks. If it's too hot or rainy I walk the aisles at nearby big-box stores!
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
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    If your daily activity has changed so that your normal activity level is lower, the first thing I'd recommend is adjusting your calorie intake accordingly. You can go back into your MFP goal setup and reduce your activity level setting.

    Unfortunately, you're probably not going to have the same activity level at a desk job that you did in a job where you were on your feet all day, even if you are able to fit in some exercise here and there. However, weight loss is about taking in fewer calories than your body burns, and that doesn't require exercise. It just means that if you're less active, you need to compensate by eating fewer calories.
  • peanutbutterfudge2002
    peanutbutterfudge2002 Posts: 1 Member
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    I have decided that no one can make me healthy. I have to be motivated to do it myself. I am trying to drink only water around 16 oz. an hour, and as mentioned above, take a walk every hour which includes going to the bathroom furthest from my office. I am eating lots of fresh fruits & vegetables (whatever is on sale). One day my snacks was a cucumber.
  • Namastea83
    Namastea83 Posts: 5 Member
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    peanutbutterfudge2002 wrote: »
    I have decided that no one can make me healthy. I have to be motivated to do it myself. I am trying to drink only water around 16 oz. an hour, and as mentioned above, take a walk every hour which includes going to the bathroom furthest from my office. I am eating lots of fresh fruits & vegetables (whatever is on sale). One day my snacks was a cucumber.

    My water intake has never been higher than it is at the moment, which is one bonus! Fruits and vegetables are my snack choices too. Portion control is what I now need to think about. The easiest thing in the world is to graze whilst working
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
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    apullum wrote: »
    If your daily activity has changed so that your normal activity level is lower, the first thing I'd recommend is adjusting your calorie intake accordingly. You can go back into your MFP goal setup and reduce your activity level setting.

    Unfortunately, you're probably not going to have the same activity level at a desk job that you did in a job where you were on your feet all day, even if you are able to fit in some exercise here and there. However, weight loss is about taking in fewer calories than your body burns, and that doesn't require exercise. It just means that if you're less active, you need to compensate by eating fewer calories.

    This. I've got a desk job (mostly -- I have days where I'm out of the building a lot), and I don't do anything special at work. I just make sure I'm active outside of work.
  • cayenne_007
    cayenne_007 Posts: 668 Member
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    I go for walks at lunch, even if it's too hot out for brisk walking - I figure anything is better than nothing. I can usually get about 2.75 miles in if I hustle out the door. I do a few pushups & planks before and after I go walk. It's not a lot - but it's better than nothing. I find I do better in the afternoons after a walk, I'm not tempted to eat so much.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    I don't really do anything at work to combat it just try to be more active outside of work.I will occasionally go for a walk at lunch but it's hard to make a habit out of that, because I prefer to go home for lunch so I don't have to pack anything in the morning. Yes it is a struggle, sucks, I wish I didn't have to be sitting down all day to get work done.
  • bobshuckleberry
    bobshuckleberry Posts: 281 Member
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    My fitness watch (before it died) buzzed every hour to remind me to move. It helped.
    Namastea83 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I don't do desk exercises, but I do get up every hour or so to walk around for a few minutes...take the scenic route to the bathroom or break room or whatever. Get up and go talk to colleagues instead of hitting them over the intercom or email. Take the stairs (I work on the third floor). Park further away from the building and any other buildings I go into (grocery store, etc).

    Beyond that, I just make sure I'm doing deliberate exercise outside of work.

    All that said, I learned a long time ago that even with regular exercise I have to eat less with a desk job than when I worked retail and landscape construction.

    I work on the 15th floor, which is...34 flights of stairs up! That's a challenge to work towards! 😊
    The colleagues I'm in contact with work on the other side of the country, so I often find myself engrossed in work and haven't moved for quite a while.
    I park as far away as possible from the building though, and will make myself take breaks away from the desk more often

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    bobshuckleberry wrote: »
    My fitness watch (before it died) buzzed every hour to remind me to move. It helped.
    Namastea83 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I don't do desk exercises, but I do get up every hour or so to walk around for a few minutes...take the scenic route to the bathroom or break room or whatever. Get up and go talk to colleagues instead of hitting them over the intercom or email. Take the stairs (I work on the third floor). Park further away from the building and any other buildings I go into (grocery store, etc).

    Beyond that, I just make sure I'm doing deliberate exercise outside of work.

    All that said, I learned a long time ago that even with regular exercise I have to eat less with a desk job than when I worked retail and landscape construction.

    I work on the 15th floor, which is...34 flights of stairs up! That's a challenge to work towards! 😊
    The colleagues I'm in contact with work on the other side of the country, so I often find myself engrossed in work and haven't moved for quite a while.
    I park as far away as possible from the building though, and will make myself take breaks away from the desk more often

    I was just going to post this. Even the non-HR Fitbits that are under $100 will vibrate on your wrist if you haven't gotten 250 steps within the last hour, it often jolts me out of my concentration, so I get up and refill my water bottle or go to the ladies room or walk to someone else's office to ask how their mom is. I take a 10-15 minute walk on my lunch break whenever the weather is okay. When I had a job where I was tied to the phone non-stop, any call where I didn't also have to be typing on the computer, I'd stand up while on the phone. They're all little things, but they can help keep you from those 3 straight hours without moving!
  • Azurite27
    Azurite27 Posts: 554 Member
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    I get up at least once an hour to walk around the floor (~3min) when I'm at work in addition to when I get up to refill my water or bathroom breaks. If I sit any longer, my back starts to hurt.
  • p8liwag
    p8liwag Posts: 919 Member
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    I have a desk job as well and I did notice a difference in my weight. I tried to eat good and excercise. To keep myself active I would sign up to do a 10k run or a half marathon.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
    edited June 2019
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    Lorleee wrote: »
    I go for lunch walks. If it's too hot or rainy I walk the aisles at nearby big-box stores!

    Yes, I do some form of activity every day at lunch time. It makes me more productive in the afternoon through evening and is a mild appetite suppressant. I bundled up at lunch and walked all winter long. I think this also helps with my tendency to get the "winter blues."

    I'm also active after work.

    But alas, I will never be able to eat as much as I did when I was a machine operator or a full time yoga teacher who also walked a lot and lifted weights.
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,000 Member
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    Add me to the list of folks who's learned the hard way that even with active hobbies and working out, it simply doesn't make up for the fact that I simply can't eat anywhere near what I used to.

    I do try to get in over 5K steps a day (not counting workouts) but that honestly doesn't make a very noticeable difference in what I can eat. Just no good way to make up for sitting on your tush all day in my experience.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,741 Member
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    Are you more stressed at the new job and/or snacking more? I think those are likely the biggest culprits to any gain when going from a different type of job to a desk job. That's where I'd take a look first before worrying too much about desk exercises.
  • njitaliana
    njitaliana Posts: 814 Member
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    I worked on the 15th floor at your age and I walked up and down the stairs each day. It's great exercise!
  • alondrakar
    alondrakar Posts: 67 Member
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    There's no way I could do exercises at my desk. I walk as much as I can (instead of emailing short message I walk to a co workers desk to relay message, etc.) and walk for about 30 minutes during my lunch break. I don't need the full hour to eat my lunch. I make sure I am very active outside of work until I go to bed. This is working great for me! Also, I only eat the food/snacks I bring with me that day. Surprisingly, I am able to avoid the vending machines even when I have money.

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