How To Lose Weight At Work

Between office parties, donut breaks in the mornings, and happy hours on Friday, meeting your weight-loss goals while holding down a full-time job can be difficult. If you’re struggling with sticking to a healthy lifestyle, here’s what you can do to combat the daily temptations at work that impact your weight-loss goals:

Fitness Apps

Plenty of fitness apps can help you achieve your dream body, even while at work. Stand Up! is an app that prompts you to stand up every hour. The app lets you customize the schedule based on your needs and desires. The MyFitnessPal app allows you to track your food. Research shows that people who track their food lose twice as much as those who don’t. Use the two apps together and you’ll not only lose weight, you’ll feel better, too.

Afternoon Walks

If you’re looking to lose weight while you are at work, get up and walk around. Most fitness enthusiasts don’t stay seated at their desks all day long. A quick afternoon walk will rev up your metabolism and keep your joints and muscles loose. Try walking every hour, even for a few minutes. If you aren’t able to get away from your desk as frequently, then schedule a longer walk during your lunch break.

Healthy Snacks

Stop snacking on sweets while at work. It can be very tempting to indulge while others are snacking away, but you have goals! If you can’t resist the temptation, come prepared with a healthier snack, like fruit or plain white popcorn.

Onsite Gyms

Encourage your company to provide an onsite gym. For some, the lunch hour is the only time they have to work out. Find some unused office space and plan a fundraiser or get a team together to organize the collection of used workout equipment.

Workplace Wellness Programs

If an onsite gym isn’t in the budget, encourage onsite workout classes through a workplace wellness program. All you need is a little bit of space, and if that isn’t available, get outside! Plan an activity every couple of weeks and try various types of classes to cater to everyone’s interests.

Stand-Up Desks

If you don’t already have a stand-up desk, request one. Sitting for long periods of time is not only harmful for your body, but harmful to your brain. If you work an office job, you sit an estimated 19 hours a day! However, if you stand, you’ll potentially burn over 30,000 calories a year—that’s eight pounds—and increase your lifespan!

Bring a Sack Lunch

Come to work with prepared food. While going out with your co-workers may be tempting, you need to be the one preparing your food so you know exactly what you are eating. Just because you can’t go out doesn’t mean your co-workers can’t stay in with you. Encourage others to bring their lunches and reap the benefits.

Losing weight at work can be difficult, but it isn’t impossible. Always remember your goals. Be sure to make healthy and responsible decisions based on the needs of your body. Utilize apps, walks, and wellness programs to encourage an environment that is not only beneficial to you, but to all.