Is Your Job Making You Fat?

Have you piled on the pounds in recent years? Do you have a sedentary job which involves a tedious commute through traffic, and sitting at a desk for most of the day? Many of us do – and our jobs have a big influence on our health.

Here are four different aspects of your job which could be making you fat – and what to do about them.

Your Desk

Do you spend seven (or more) hours sitting at a desk each day? Staying in one position without much movement means you won’t be burning many calories – plus you could put yourself at risk of developing a repetitive strain injury from using a keyboard and mouse for long hours at a time. If you gaze at a monitor all day long, you could also let yourself in for eye problems.

Fix it:

• Get up at least once an hour to stretch and move around for five minutes. If you have your own office (or friendly colleagues), you could just wander around the room. Otherwise, try taking a walk up and down a corridor, to the water cooler, to the mailroom, etc.
• If you’re self-employed or have flexible working hours, have a couple of twenty-minute brisk walks outside during the day.
• Make sure you’ve got a comfortable chair that supports your back, and check that your monitor and keyboard are at the right height for you. If you end up with aches and pains from an awkward working position, you’ll struggle to exercise.

Your Colleagues

Have you ever had a great dieting week – until a colleague showed up with cookies? Some offices have a snacking culture with communal chocolates, candies, cookies, cakes, chips and all sorts of other temptations.

Fix it:

• It’s fine to say no. Don’t try to explain your diet (people will starting telling you to “just have one”); simply say “no, thanks” or “I’ll have one later.”
• If you’re taking in food, how about fruit instead of sugary or fatty snacks? Grapes and strawberries are almost always popular.

Your Canteen

Some office canteens are well on top of the healthy eating agenda, providing delicious, nutritious options … but many aren’t up to scratch. If your lunchtime choices are limited to stodgy pastas or limp, unappetising salads, it’s difficult to find something that fits with your diet and which you actually want to eat.

If you don’t have a workplace canteen, you may find that the local fast-food restaurants perform a similar role…

Fix it:

• Take your own packed lunch. You’ll know exactly what’s gone into it; no more hidden calories from mayo-laden sandwiches.
• Talk to the catering department. Explain what you’d like to see. If you can get a few others to join you in calling for healthier options, there’s a good chance they might make changes: after all, the canteen want your money!
• If you’re buying food from somewhere near your office, try a store or restaurant with a healthy range of sandwiches. Subway do low-fat subs, and many supermarkets offer calorie-counted ranges.

Your Stress Levels

How often have you headed for the vending machine mid-afternoon, because you were feeling overwhelmed by work? Many of us comfort-eat when we’re stressed out, and unfortunately, work is often a source of stress. Alternatively, you might follow a healthy diet during the day – then “treat yourself” every evening to recover from the day.

Fix it:

• Consider a career change. If you’re regularly feeling stressed and unhappy at work, don’t feel obliged to stay. Although a career change might sound like a drastic move, it could be worth thinking about.
• Find stress-busters which don’t involve food. What helps you get out of a stressful situation? Perhaps you could go out for a walk each lunchtime, or take a shower or bath immediately after getting home from work.
• Walk or cycle to work. Commuting is often a source of stress in itself: if you arrive at work with frayed nerves due to traffic levels or crowded public transport, look for an alternative means of getting there. Walking or cycling can provide a much-needed mental break between “home” and “work” mode.

What aspects of your job are derailing your diet? How could you negate these or even turn them around?

Written by Ali Hale

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3. Getting Into Great Dieting Habits