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Losing weight at the office
GameGrrl
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I started working full time in an office at the beginning of this year, and things have been going pretty well so far. I like my job, but it pretty much involves me sitting down in front of a computer for eight hours straight. In the mean time i've noticed that I've gained a bit of chubb around my belly area over the past few months - in my old job I was working retail and was walking around the store constantly, which I think might have been burning off some calories.
I'm already feeling pretty swamped for time as it is, and between having to get up early for my commute to work and then getting home and studying for my classes, I find I don't have a whole lot of time to work out.
Does anyone know a good way to work off some calories while at the office or at home? Or any exercise regimes that are really time-effective?
stop me from turning into a fatty, h/a!
I'm already feeling pretty swamped for time as it is, and between having to get up early for my commute to work and then getting home and studying for my classes, I find I don't have a whole lot of time to work out.
Does anyone know a good way to work off some calories while at the office or at home? Or any exercise regimes that are really time-effective?
stop me from turning into a fatty, h/a!
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PS4:MrZoompants
And really, the only solution is to find time to work out.
There's no way you're studying to your maximum potential after vegetating in an office all day. When I switched from restaurants to whatever the hell it is I do now (I know it's an office job, but that's as far as it gets defined, and I've been doing it for six years) I was basically in the same position. You get more tired doing nothing for 8-9 hours than running around like a crazy person.
Usually I find it a pain to hit the gym after work. I want to get home and veg out, but I make it a point to hit the gym. And you know what? I never feel better than after leaving the gym, both physically and mentally.
Basically I try to remember this:
I never regret having worked out, but I will usually end up regreting NOT having worked out.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
I second the bike pedaling under the desk, I've heard only positive feedback from people.
Walk/jog during lunch, a 20-30 minute jog makes a huge difference.
A study from 2005 sort of says yes, but a) their conclusion as reported seems to add up to "skinny people are more active than obese people" which is not exactly earthshattering and b) it also says that skinny people's normal daily activities may burn an extra "350 calories a day" which is okay but not exactly a substitute for real exercise (especially when you consider that those extra burned calories are probably mostly composed of things like "taking the stairs as opposed to the elevator" or "walking to the corner store instead of driving", rather than "bouncing your leg at your desk").
Do this as well. It's not going to help a huge amount, but it will help a little, and it'll get you in a healthier mindset. Just before you get in a lift to go down five floors, for example, mentally tell yourself off and take the damn stairs. It's something I've been doing for a while and after a little while thinking like that every day starts to remind you to say 'hey, maybe even though I'd really like it I'm not going to have a chocolate bar and a Coke'.
@gamefacts - Totally and utterly true gaming facts on the regular!
A thousand times this. All the exercise in the world won't help you if your metabolism is trudging along at 5mph.
Honestly, just a hit a gym or going running before or after work. It'll make you happier in any case.
Also, I don't know where you work, but at my office there is always food around. Be it donuts for a random special occasion, birthday cakes, random snacks or leftover candy...Do not get in the habit of eating these, if it's impolite to refuse take the smallest portion available. For me these seemed like an occasional indulgence, but man, it adds up. I put on 15 pounds in 6 months after I started at my desk job. I also attribute much of that to the coffee additives. I love coffee, and our office gives us a ton of it free, but I also got in the habit of adding some sugar and creamer. One of these isn't going to add on weight, but I was drinking maybe 4 cups/day and adding some stuff to each cup, after awhile it adds up.
As for stuff you can do while you're working...Well there's not a ton. General advice applies, use the stairs, if you can help it don't email or call people, walk to their desk to talk, take your break outside and just walk around the building, drink water...Oh, and if you can, pack a lunch rather than going out all the time, you can watch what you're eating a bit easier this way, plus it saves money.
Something is better than nothing, obviously, but if the only change you make is adding a 30 minute walk, or bouncing your leg up and down, you're not going to see a damn it of difference weeks, months, or even years down the line.
Depending on what you're doing at the gym, you may be replacing fat with muscle. Don't concentrate too much on actual numbers.
1. Shut the fuck up. You have no one to blame but yourself.
2. Stop sleeping so late watching Cartman do something stupid. Go to sleep at a reasonable time. Sleeping at 3AM and not getting good sleep is making you fat. Sleep with the lights off, TV off, no noise and in relative darkness.
3. Wake up early the next day after a good sleep, around 6AM (assuming you work at 9AM), go for a short run or something, if you have weights that's good too, free weights and barbells are cheap, easy to store and you can do a long list of training with them.
4. Good breakky, toast with whatever, some meats and liquids.
5. Pack a lunch for work, something low on calories but filling to keep you regular (can of tuna, a banana, etc). Drink plenty of waters, lugging around a 4L jug of water may seem dumb and you'll pee a lot but you'll notice your pee will stop stinking.
5.a.Also AVOID ANY JUNK FOOD. It's easy to say "of it's just a mocha frappucino [sp?] with a jelly donut, it's only like 300 calories! It's morning so it's OK!". I bet you feel some buyer's remorse once you buy shit like that and eat if even though you want to lose weight right? REMEMBER THAT FEELING. The feeling to eat something is there but DENY it and just go home to a chicken breast and wild rice instead of some hot-tray Greek food or pizza.
5.b. Don't be a pussy and have dressing on your salad. Sure it tastes good but the sugars and fats won't feel so good. This is more of a punishment for not taking care of yourself, be lucky it's just an extra 20-30lbs. EAT THE SALAD RAW.
6. Go home, avoid the 7-11, do some stretching and some weight lifting (again the barbell plates don't need the bar if you don't have the space, they still make for good training) and go for a run, just keep your body moving. You'll notice that once you start working out and eating regular you'll sleep much earlier.
7. Once you start shedding a few pounds play some basketball or something (even if you're not good, you'll be good once you start playing) and keep active, reward yourself instead of sitting at home watching Ross and Rachael break up on the millionth fucking rerun of the same fucking sitcom.
7.a. Don't use the "but I don't know anyone that plays" bullshit excuse, local community centre is your best friend. It's pretty cheap (with financial assistance programs if you can't afford it, I'm guessing all cities have something like this) since it's run by the government and you'll meet tons of great local people.
7.b. Get out of that bubble, don't be shy, once you break the ice it's easy as pie. Don't let your bad attitude and ineptitude at social interaction ruin you.
8. Don't look for an easy/fast answer "office workouts" are bullshit and those children's toys you buy to "bulk up while on the job" will just be thrown out, this is all about willpower, you can do it!
8.a. Also if you have a significant other or kin (parent, girlfriend, best-friend) have them come on board and help you out. They are a great help and support, they want to see you get better just as much as you do, you have people who actually care about your well-being don't be embarrassed to ask, they will help you. Helll they might just JOIN YOU.
9. Every day, save the dollar or two that you'd be spending on pop (soda, cola whatever) or a small bag of chips and put it into a kitty, you'll notice by month's end you'll have some decent coin on you and you might've lost a few pounds, you'll feel great.
10. If you have some extra coin (from the aforementined kitty or otherwise) get a cheap bike from Wal Mart or something, the internet is full of free bike care tips, as long as you take care of it your $100 bike will be fine. And bike everywhere Not necessarily to work or anything, but to do groceries at the local market, or do some shopping (everyone is within biking distance of a Wal-Mart these days) or just to bike around. It'll save you some more money than riding your car everywhere.
10.a. If you're going to a party, don't drive there, just bike (if it's within reasonable distance or if you're transferring by public transit), it hurts more to actually fall physically once you hop on the bike drunk (as opposed to crashing in your car, which results in immediate death or a hefty fine and jail time from our boys in blue), so you'll walk home carrying that bigass bike. Speaking from personal experience on this one XD.
11. Don't have any "off days" where you can eat a giant pizza or some shit. Don't have those. Ever. Until you reach a reasonable weight and size where you're active enough to be gorging once in a while.
PROTIP: Don't join the gym. Go on a month-by-month plan with 'em. Sure you'll pay a bit more per month ('bout $10 extra from the monthly membership fee) but if you go on a year-long membership you'll stop going after a week. Also if you don't go for a month or so it's ok because you're not paying for it. And gyms are great if you don't have the space/access to equipment. Trust me you'll save more money going month-by-month
If the gym says "we don't do month by month" or some crap like that tell them to fuck right off and jump off a cliff, you'll see that gym salepeople are the worst kind of salespeople (some of the scummiest too) and you can bend 'em pretty easily. Also if they don't want your business they can suck some fat shlong, tell 'em you'll be someone else's customer. They'll bend over then. It's worse they let someone who actually wants to give money walk out. And don't be afraid to tell them you'll shop around the local gyms for the best price, some gyms will match or beat a competitor.
2) Keep healthy snacks in your desk. This is important to resist the candy machine and whatever else may be lurking around.
3) Get out of the office at lunch and walk around
4) Stand up every 15 minutes or so.
5) Skip the donuts if someone brings them in.
6) Drink water. Bring a water bottle and fill it up at the cooler a few times a day, gives you an excuse to get away from your desk.
It is possible to fit in working out even with that schedule, you just have to sacrifice other things, like time spent with TV, web, games, etc. You ought to be able to at least get one work out in during the work-week and two on the weekends.
Start keeping a food diary and write down what you have and the calories involved, it doesn't need to be public but just having a record of what you've actually done can easily discourage you from breaking down and binging. Slowly your appetite should adjust. The relative health of the foods doesn't really matter when it comes to weight only the caloric intake. Protein does fill you up longer than fat or starches though so keep that in mind. Also keep in mind if you can saturate your daily intake of food with fruits and vegetables and stay away from processed carbohydrates and too much protein (~2:1 protein ratio) you'll feel a lot better be a lot healthier. But don't bother with organic foods or health foods that cost too much, they don't accomplish anything and are filthy fucking expensive.
Drinking water does nothing by the way. You need to consume around 2.5 liters of water a day but 90% of it is water in your food. This myth comes from a half truth of a medical report, they took the 2.5 liters from it but missed the next sentence. Bread is about 40% water and watermellon is over 90% so keep that in mind. A couple of glasses of water a day should be plenty.
I do not suggest eliminating a meal and would rather suggest snacking all day long instead of specified meals this way you're less likely to feel hungry and your metabolism doesn't have down time.
Finally finding an exercise that is fun for you might be a good idea. With fulltime work and school it's more than possible to find time to exercise, if you still can't buying a small under the desk pedal set with adjustable resistance should be easy if a bit pricey.
Start out by going for a jog every night. Start light and work your way up.
Most of this is going to be your diet anyway, so don't discourage yourself by being all gung-ho about exercise right off the bat.