How to Lose Weight When You Have a Sedentary Job

We have seen a drastic change in the way we work during the last three decades. The nature of work in offices has changed from manual and skilled jobs to sedentary jobs that require one to sit at their workstations for approximately 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week. It involves very little movement within the work premises as work needs to be done in computerized offices where even the slightest communication with colleagues and friends can be made over email or an in-house chatting system. Before you realize it, your body starts showing off flab in the most undesirable areas of your body. Common health problems such as cardiovascular diseases are the most logical outcomes of such a lifestyle. Here are tips to start moving and get into a good shape even as you continue with your sedentary job.

As You Wake Up...

• As you start your day, try to drink a glass of warm water with a teaspoon full of honey and lemon juice. Honey and lemon itself do not burn any fats, but this combination acts as energy boosters right in the morning.
• I suggest that you should go in for some physical activity for a minimum of time of 30 to 40 minutes before you head out for work. You may choose vigorous exercises like a swimming, a game of squash or tennis. If however, you wish to opt for lighter activities, then go in for brisk walk of minimum 3 km on a flat road surface or walk uphill for the prescribed number of minutes. Alternately, you may try options such as biking on flat or uphill paths, a workout at a gym, a power yoga session or an aerobic class.
• Never skip your breakfast as it is a booster of energy that you need to pull through the day. Remember the age-old proverb.. 'Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince and Dinner like a Pauper'. Skipping breakfast only makes you more hungry at the mid of the day when you suddenly start getting food cravings for lack of sufficient energy. Take a healthy breakfast of milk and cereals, eggs, fruits and juices. Let your breakfast be the largest meal of your day.

Going to Work

• If your office is in close vicinity, then there is nothing wrong in walking your way up to your workplace. For an office which is easily commutable, there is nothing shameful in using your bike instead of your car as a mode of transport.
• Once you reach your office, you might get tempted to use the elevators to reach your office floor. As far as possible, avoid using these modern means. If your workstation is located on higher floors then you might alight from the elevator at least 5 to 6 floors prior to your floor and walk up rest of the floors. Use the common stairwell from your office premises to access your own workstation.
• During work, you might be tempted to talk with your colleagues and friends. Avoid using emails, in-house chatting facility and smses as a means for communicating with your colleagues. Instead get up and walk to you colleague's workstation.
• You may perform some physical exercises while sitting at your workstation too. e.g., exercises of legs and thighs.
• For health reasons, it is necessary to consume small portions of meals throughout the day instead of a single large meal. These meals may be carried along by you to your office. Some popular meals for consuming in office include:
  
  1. A fruit dish with assorted fruits and with no artificial flavoring
  2. A salad dish with mixed vegetable of your choice
  3. A glass of fresh fruit juice or coconut water
  4. A box of trail meal
  5. A sprouted meal with seasoning of lemon juice and herbs.
  6. A small box of 100 gm roasted brown chickpeas.
• All these foods should be consumed in small bowl portions only. Make sure to drink plenty of water along with each meal. Avoid consuming sugary foods, fried food and over spicy foods like pickles.
• Consume your midday lunches at fixed time as it boosts your metabolism and improves your digestion process. I stress on consuming a square meal inclusive of sufficient quantity of proteins, carbohydrates, fiber and little of fats. But remember, that your midday meal should be smaller than your breakfast.
• Post lunch, it is suggested that you engage in some physical activity like a light workout in the gym, a brisk walk around your office for 10 to 15 minutes or you might just walk up and down the staircase a couple of times. Remember, do not head for your workstation immediately after your meal.
• If you need to talk on the phone for long hours during your work, then avoid sitting in one place. Instead you may pace the office floor while talking on the phone.

Going Back Home

• Just as the day had started, you can either walk your way back home or ride your bike. Use some time to shop for your groceries and vegetables at this time. Remember, even a simple activity of pushing a shopping cart down the supermarket aisle helps you burn calories.
• Finally, end the day with the smallest meal of the day... your dinner.

You need to create a mental state to adhere to all the rules of physical activity and perfect diet that you set for yourself. Your mind may always tell you to go on with your diet and activity plan, but times may come when your body might feel lazy and tempted to back out. You need to exercise some self-control in this case. And yes, there is nothing wrong in treating yourself to some sweets when you have some cravings. Losing weight during sedentary job never sounded this easy right?

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