So you found a new job and now you have to find a new pant size. Oh, the perk of an office job. These positions are sedentary and can be high stress. If you are sitting at a desk for hours at a time then you are most likely below the recommended level of daily activity. And stress can leave you feeling unhappy and fatigued, this can lead to overeating and after a long day at work…you can forget about exercising! I am an office worker and in my quest to stay healthy and fit I found some easy tips to help maintain a healthy lifestyle.
You are what you eat:
The day starts with breakfast, the most important meal of the day. It stabilizes your blood sugar and helps control your cravings. You need energy to get through the day so start with a good breakfast. And it doesn’t stop there so no matter how busy you get, don’t skip your meals! Make it a priority to have a healthy lunch along with one or two healthy snacks throughout the day.
The office environment is full of those evil co-workers who like to keep a stash of candy around or even go as far as to bring in donuts…how dare they! I mean, I don’t want to insult them by turning down their nice but very cruel gesture, what’s a gal to do? Insult away and just say no. Stock up on some healthy snacks to treat yourself to instead. I know, but the donuts look so good…turn around and walk away!
Then there’s take out, vending machines, and group lunches, the temptations just keep growing. Office workers tend to eat out too much and restaurant meals are often served in large portions and are high in calories. And vending machines usually carry junk food. When you do cave and go for lunch, suggest a place with smaller portions and healthier options such as salads, sandwiches, and soups. So choose wisely grasshopper. Best solution though is to bring your own lunch.
If you want to go even further, keep a food journal to track everything down to the smallest snack, although ignorance can be bliss this opens your eyes to your over-indulgence and keeps your head out of the “denial” cloud.
These pretzels are making me thirsty:
Now for the beverages…do I need to say stay away from sodas and other sugary drinks? They are full of empty calories. For your caffeine fix, coffee and tea is the best option as long as you limit the sugar added and don’t be drinking your weight in it either…one or two at most. But the best beverage option…this one will be a shocker…drum roll please…WATER! If you’re feeling snackish it could mean that you’re dehydrated so drinking water will help take those cravings away. Good old reliable water.
Move it so you can lose it:
How do you compensate for a job that has you glued to your desk all day? The answer is simple, unglue yourself. Sitting for long periods of time slows down your metabolism which leads to weight gain. It’s time to find some creative ways to get up a move throughout the day. Walk around and stretch now and then. When you are on the phone or while a program is loading, do some chair exercises or stand up and move. And who says fidgeting is a bad thing? Instead of picking up the phone or sending an e-mail, get up and walk over to your co-workers desk and have a face-to-face conversation…what’s a face-to-face conversation you say?...something we used to do in the 90’s but I think it’s time for a comeback.
Skip the elevator, they’re usually too crowded anyways, and take the stairs. Where do you park? You might want to think about parking farther away. Which bathroom do you use? Try out the one that’s on the other side of the building. Grab a co-worker and take a walk…you can talk shop. Look for opportunities to move around and take those extra steps.
You need to get physical to compensate for your sedentary work day so exercise during your leisure time is likely necessary. I know, it’s not what you wanted to hear but on top of burning calories, exercise boosts energy and helps eliminate stress so it will make you feel better. Maybe if you’re lucky there is a company gym in your building…I am not so lucky. If not, your workplace can hold fitness classes or form a sports team to get everyone involved. Incentive programs are also becoming more popular as companies are starting to promote a healthier lifestyle.
To maintain optimal health the average person should take approximately 10,000 steps a day. So strap on a pedometer and see how you measure up.
The big picture:
And I mean big…obesity is a rapidly growing problem in today’s world and there are many contributing factors. Of course we can’t ignore the joys of aging; having children; maybe a little too comfortable in your relationship…the list goes on. I decided to focus on the work environment to keep my blog to a reasonable length but we can’t ignore the overall shift in lifestyles as well. We need to apply these rules of eating right and staying active in all facets of our life.
Back to the workplace…fit workers mean a healthier bottom line. Healthcare costs are lower, sick days are fewer, and productivity increases. So why wouldn’t an organization do what they can to promote healthy living?
