Lose Weight While You Work

SELF.com
By Lucy Danziger, SELF Editor-in-Chief

Work gives you a paycheck and, if you're lucky enough to love what you do, a primo sense of personal satisfaction. But it can also come with some unwanted "gains." I'm referring to the pounds that are easy to pack on when you're superglued to your swivel chair and a stone's throw from the vending machine for eight hours a day. Unless you're a pro beach volleyball player or samba dancer, it can feel as if your workplace is conspiring to keep you heavier than you'd like. However, you can still manage your own bottom line, and trim down while you toil. One of my secrets to keeping the pounds off? Rather than reply to emails from staffers each morning, I make several fast sweeps of the office, answering my colleagues' queries face to face. Popping in is more personal than pinging, and it burns calories. Try these tips to drop a few during your 9 to 5. That's the kind of corporate downsizing we can get behind!

Just add water. In addition to being your source for scintillating office gossip and banter about last night's episode of Mad Men, the watercooler can help you lose weight. Keeping H20 at the ready will give you something to put in your mouth besides sweets from your neighbor's candy bowl. And when you're hydrated, science has found your bod does everything more efficiently—including burning calories. Fill a reusable water bottle with ice water before you leave home, and refill it throughout the day. If you like a little flavor, drop in a frozen berry or two; they'll sweeten your H20 as they melt.

Set an exercise meeting. A midday workout keeps your energy up and the pounds down. Protect your exercise time by putting sweat sessions in your calendar just as you would meetings with your most important client. When the day gets busy or you're tempted to surf gossip sites on your lunch hour rather than take to the treadmill, seeing your commitment in print will motivate you to get to the gym. (Make quick workouts more effective.) About an hour before your workout, fuel up with a 200-calorie snack that's high in complex carbs (try whole-wheat crackers with peanut butter). Afterward, recover with a 300- to 400-calorie lunch that contains carbs to reenergize you and protein to help your muscles recover. One idea: a whole-grain bagel with veggies and an ounce of lowfat cheddar, along with a banana (400 calories).

Sculpt right on site. If you can't slip out to exercise, firm up at your desk using just a resistance band and a chair. Dejiggle on the job by doing three sets of these six simple moves on Self.com on nonconsecutive days, up to three times a week.

Bring your own snack. Slip a healthy bite into your tote as you leave the house in morning, and you won't be taunted by that Butterfinger in the vending machine when the afternoon munchies strike. To stay satiated—and sharp—until supper, aim for a bite that contains about 200 calories, some fiber and a smidge of protein, too. A few of my faves: 3 tablespoons lowfat granola mixed with 1 tbsp dried sweetened coconut and 1 tbsp slivered almonds, 6 whole-wheat melba toasts with 2 tbsp hummus, or any of these simple, portable snacks. And stock your desk drawer with energy bars that contain at least 3 grams of fiber and fewer than 200 calories—perfect for when you're in a pinch. Can't resist the siren call of the vending machine? Pick nuts or trail mix, which contain fat and protein to tide you over, rather than pure carbs like pretzels. (Check out the best and worst vending machine foods.)

Team-build. Recruit a few like-minded coworkers to get fit with you. You'll foster friendships at the office (always a good thing) while knocking off pounds. Log the miles each of you walks, runs or bikes each day on a board in your break-room or by creating a shared spreadsheet online; award prizes, such as movie tickets or a gift certificate for a manicure, to whomever covers the most ground. Get set to boost workplace morale and give your body a lift, too!