Weight Loss And Work: Your Ultimate Guide

Whether we like it or not, we have to work. While work is an essential part of life, it can impede a weight loss journey as it impinges on time that could be dedicated to exercise and making healthy food choices. That said, we’ve got plenty of advice that will help you make your workday healthier and more effective.

Did you know that research indicates shift workers consume about 600 extra calories per day compared to people who work relatively normal hours? When you consider that people are more likely to eat fatty and sugary foods when they are sleep-deprived, that really shouldn’t come as any surprise. 

However, there are a few things shift and overnight workers can do to ensure that they don’t overeat and pack on the pounds, including not sleeping on a full stomach, packing healthy snacks before they head off to work and planning their eating schedule ahead of time. Check out our Ultimate Guide To Surviving Shift Work.

If you spend 40 hours per week chained to a desk without incorporating any exercise, chances are that you’re going to put on weight. That said, there are techniques you can incorporate into your workday to ensure that you are more active and burn off calories.

Try turning your desk and chair into a mini-gym and try out some simple exercises in the office. Alternatively, you could just stand up, which burns significantly more calories than sitting. Likewise, you could form a running club at work, or organise walking meetings with your co-workers. For a detailed guide to exercising in the office check out our guide on How To Be Less Sedentary At Work. 

According to Queensland Health, incidental exercise refers to “any activity built up in small amounts over the day”. If you’re a busy bloke, incidental exercise could be a key part of your weight loss journey. It involves introducing simple exercises into your daily routine.

Examples of these exercises include walking or riding your bike to work rather than driving, getting off the train or bus a stop or two earlier and completing your commute by walking. It may involve shunning the lift for the stairs at work or getting active with the kids during the weekend. Every small step helps. Check out these Easy Ways To Fit More Incidental Exercise Into Your Life for more tips. 

Ok, this may sound a little brutal, but hear us out. Sometimes a bunch of little factors around the office can accumulate and ultimately cause your waistline to expand. Think about the amount of junk food available in your workplace or the fact that you tend to stress eat when you have a big deadline approaching. Then there's the issue of your air conditioning being too cold.

While the office can occasionally be a danger zone for a bloke on a weight loss journey, it doesn’t need to be this way. Find out more about these dangers and how you can combat them in out guide 4 Reasons Your Job Could Be Making You Gain Weight. 

Geez, the workday can be a slog sometimes. If you're a man who tends to ‘clock-watch’ during the mid to late afternoon, we’ve got a series of tips that will get your concentration back on track. For example, ditch the distractions by logging out of your social media accounts and giving your phone to a workmate until the final whistle blows on the workday. Then there are the time-tested techniques of tidying your mind by tidying your desk and taking strategic breaks throughout the day to ensure you don't become too overwhelmed.

If you’re keen on getting your mind back on the job while at work, check out our guide How To Increase Your Concentration Levels At Work.