If you work a full-time job, ‘bringing home the bacon” takes up a third or more of your 24-hour day. When you add sleep time, half of your day is spent working or sleeping. Plus, if you’re relegated to sitting at a desk all day, you’re not moving very much, unless you consciously make an effort.
Not surprisingly, working a sedentary job can make you fat. In a 2013 Harris survey involving more than 3,000 workers, more than 40% said they’d gained weight since they started their current job. This doesn’t even take into account the other health risks of sitting too much. Research shows sitting for more than 6 hours a day is linked with a greater risk for heart disease, type 2- diabetes and higher overall mortality.
Clearly, you don’t burn as many calories when you sit in a chair, which is one reason you’re more likely to gain weight when you work an office job – but it’s not the only one. The office environment you work in may be making it harder to control your weight. Let’s look at some of those factors.
Bad Job Eating Habits
In an office environment, it’s easy to get sucked into the food culture around you. When your cubicle buddy orders take-out and asks if you want something, it’s too easy to say yes. After all, you’re too busy to go out and someone is willing to bring lunch to you. Resist the urge. With some exceptions, most take-out food is deceptively high in calories.
One study showed offices that had more take-out options nearby were twice as likely to have employees who were overweight or obese. Bypass the problem by packing a healthy lunch. You’ll save money too. If you have time after eating your home-packed lunch, take a brisk walk before heading back to your to-do list. Another hint: keep a few low-calorie snacks in your desk drawer so you can avoid vending machine snacks.
Not Enough Light Exposure
Lack of exposure to natural light during the day can disrupt your body’s natural circadian rhythms and alter hormones that impact your appetite and metabolism. According to a study carried out by Northwestern University exposure to bright light in the morning is linked with a lower body mass index. In fact, this link held even after they controlled for other factors that affect body weight like physical activity, diet etc.
The solution? Petition for an office with a window that lets in natural light, if you can get one – then open up the blinds. If not, invest in a natural daylight lamp that exposes your eyes to natural light as you work. More light exposure during the day can also help you sleep better at night by optimizing your melatonin level. Take a few minutes throughout the day to stand in front of a window, stretch, and look outside. It’s a good way to “reboot.”
Stress, Stress, Stress
For many people, job = stress. No wonder! Carrying a heavy workload leaves you less time to stay physically active and little time to prepare healthy meals. You’re less likely to get a good night’s sleep when you’re lying awake worrying about your job. Plus, chronic stress can elevate your cortisol level and lead to changes in body composition – muscle loss and belly fat gain.
If you’re miserable with your job, it affects all aspects of your life. Sometimes it takes a little soul searching to decide whether a job change might be better for your weight AND your health. If a job or career change isn’t in the cards, find healthy ways to deal with stress – yoga, meditation, deep breathing exercises etc.
What You’re Sipping at Work
It’s important to stay hydrated, but make sure what you’re sipping at work isn’t adding inches to your waistline. Calorie-free beverages are best but not if they’re sweetened with artificial sweeteners. Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center found a link between drinking diet soda (two or more a day) and larger waist sizes. Unsweetened green tea is calorie-free and has potential health benefits, as long as you’re not sensitive to caffeine.
What about coffee? Some research shows coffee has health benefits due to its high level of antioxidants, but a recent study raises concerns about its effect on glucose control. This study showed drinking even a single cup of coffee had adverse effects on blood sugar regulation.
To make matters more confusing, other research shows drinking several cups of coffee a day may LOWER the risk for type 2 diabetes. It’s possible drinking coffee adversely affects blood sugar short-term but lowers the risk of diabetes longer term. With so much conflicting information, the safest, low-calorie beverage to sip throughout the day is water, something most of us don’t drink enough of. Give it a flavor by adding juice from a lemon, lime, or orange or add cucumber slices or mint leaves. Water doesn’t have to be flavorless!
Not Taking Walking Breaks
As mentioned, sitting too much is one of the health liabilities of having an office job. The good news? You can offset the effects of “sittingitis” by taking a two-minute walk every hour. A study published in the journal Diabetologia found walking only 2 minutes every hour reduced the risk of dying prematurely by 33%. Mosey up and down the hall or go up and down the stairs a few times as often as you can during the day. Doing this improves insulin sensitivity, so you’re less likely to store fat. If you can’t walk, at least stand-up and stretch and move your legs and arms around. Every little bit of movement counts towards your health.
The Bottom Line
Unless you have an active job where you don’t sit behind a desk, you’re at greater risk for weight gain even if you do a structured workout every day. Use these 5 tips to stay fit and healthy even if you’re stuck at the office all day.
References:
Health. “17 Ways Your Job is Making You Fat”
Eat This. Fall 2015. ‘7 Work Habits That Make You Fat”
Northwestern University. “Morning Rays Keep the Pounds Off” April 2014.
Shape “Lose Weight Sitting at Your Desk”
Br J Nutr. 2015 Aug 28:1-8. [Epub ahead of print]
IQ Solutions. “Get Moving for 2 Minutes an Hour to Reduce Cancer and Mortality”
Related Articles By Cathe:
What Role Does Exercise Play in Reversing Pre-diabetes?
How Body Weight Impacts the Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes
6 Dietary and Lifestyle Factors that Can Lower Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
This article just prompted me to take a 5-minute walk break! Thanks!