You sit at an office desk all day, making phone calls and working on important projects. If not closely monitored, this sedentary working environment coupled with access to break room treats often leads to weight gain. Since you likely don’t want to be the next executive to keel over from a midafternoon heart attack, here are four tips for beating office weight gain.
Avoid Potlucks
While potlucks are great opportunities to socialize with coworkers, they’re also major weight gaining culprits. From overindulging on green bean casserole to snacking all afternoon on an assortment of leftover desserts, these office gatherings can quickly derail your healthy eating habits.
If you can’t resist the temptation to overindulge during office potlucks, avoid them. Tell coworkers you have an appointment at the same time as the potluck or create another excuse to avoid coming across as anti-social. Better yet, be honest regarding your efforts to avoid weight gain and suggest alternatives to recruit coworkers in your healthy eating efforts.
Decline Treats from Coworkers
It’s standard in many companies for employees to celebrate birthdays and other special occasions by bringing treats to the office. From donuts in the morning to ice cream in the afternoon, occasional treats from coworkers can quickly add up to major pound gaining each year.
The holidays are a particularly popular season for coworkers to leave treats in the office break room. As such, when the holidays arrive, develop a plan for avoiding the goodies. Whether reminding yourself of the excessive calories you’ll consume during upcoming family gatherings or by avoiding the break room altogether, this plan will help you avoid the average holiday weight gain.
Reduce Stress
Stress is a major culprit of weight gain. Your job consumes much of your weekly schedule and, if it’s causing an unnecessary amount of stress, it’s likely affecting your health in several ways. If your job is causing excessive stress which, in turn, is leading you to eat unhealthy snack foods, find a way to reduce that stress. This can involve creating a more balanced schedule, asking management for a reduced workload or, in extreme situations, finding a new job.
Pack a Lunch
After a busy morning at work, many starving employees rush from their workplaces to the nearest fast food joint. While this is a quick way to grab a meal between lunchtime errands, it’s also a quick way to pack on some pounds. Rather than following the fast food trend, pack a lunch each day. This will offer a reason to avoid the temptation of dining out and, if packed properly, can keep your diet in check.
The workplace is where many employees partake in their unhealthiest habits. From coworker birthday celebrations to office potlucks, temptations abound and are often difficult to resist. However, by creating a plan to avoid the temptations, you can maintain healthy eating habits as well as a slim waistline.
Do you have additional suggestions for avoiding office weight gain?
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