Many people spend more than 8 hours sitting in front of a computer screen or at the telephone every day at work. With nearby vending machines, a piece of cake for a colleague’s birthday, quick lunches, or business dinners at a restaurant, calories eventually accumulate while the energy cost remains low. This is actually our life at Cardiogenix as well! There’s always a special occasion to celebrate or some muffins brought in by a generous soul. So in our lives, it would be easy to put on some unwanted pounds every week. In order to avoid falling into the trap of extra calories and in turn maximize your weight loss, here are some simple tips for the office. Staying fit has never been so easy!
1- Avoid the vending machine
Many offices have one or multiple vending machines containing soft drinks, juices, chips, cookies, chocolate, and the list goes on. The temptation can often be quite strong when we pass in front of this machine three to four times a day. Of course, having a treat once a week is not a problem, but to prevent these treats from becoming an everyday thing, you could definitely try to take another path. Our nutritionist here at Cardiogenix would recommend that you bring healthy snacks to work. A healthy portion of fruits with nuts, crackers and cheese, or even an individual soya beverage. Not only is your body going to thank you, but it would also prevent you from spending $10 to $15 per week on these processed products filled with sugar, fat, and unnecessary calories.
2- Want a piece of cake?
Have you noticed that there’s always a reason to celebrate when you work in an office? In our medical center, there’s always a birthday party, a wedding celebration, or a baby shower; all accompanied with a magnificent piece of cake. Obviously, we won’t complain for that treat, but if you’re having trouble saying no to a piece of cake, practice asking for a smaller piece and take one or two bites. Your taste buds only need this amount of sugar or salt to be satisfied if you let it melt in your mouth. Plus, you will not feel like you’re missing out on the celebration.
3- The 3 o’clock hunger
Two to three hours after eating lunch, your body will have already used a part of the sugar available for energy. So don’t worry, it’s normal to feel a little sweet desire, as your level of glucose (sugar) in the blood is lowered. If you didn’t plan a nutritious afternoon snack that would contain proteins and carbohydrates, the vending machine would probably be your last, but not your best option for a snack. To prevent this from happening, make sure to bring along a healthy snack for the afternoon.
Here are some examples of healthy snacks that will satisfy your sugar needs and help you in your weight loss plan:
– 100g of 0% Greek yogurt with some raspberries
– 4 crackers and 50g cheese
– 1 cup of dip with raw vegetables and ½ cup yogurt
– 1 apple and some unsalted almonds
The important thing is to satisfy your hunger to avoid being too hungry at night, maintaining a good sugar level and a good energy level throughout the day.
4- Out of sight, out of mind
Several studies have shown that as humans, when we see food in front of us, we’re much more likely to eat it. With that being said, if you keep your lunch and snacks under your nose, you may eat it even without being hungry. The best tip for this is to create the habit of keeping your meals and snacks out of sight and to only take them at scheduled times. For example, a morning snack at 10am, lunch at noon, and an afternoon snack at 3pm. Keeping your food in the office refrigerator avoids temptations and allows you to eat at regular hours, when hunger is actually really felt.
5- The elevator? Which elevator?
For people who work at their desk most of the day, the caloric cost is not very high. Starting the habit of taking the stairs is a great way to increase your daily energy cost. In the Cardiogenix building, we have 4 floors to climb to reach our office, which is a great beginning. Taking the time to walk for 5 minutes every hour will increase your calorie cost and help you avoid weight gain. Another tip, and probably the simplest one, is to park your car farther in the parking lot. The more you stand, the more calories you burn! Research shows that standing 8 hours helps you burn approximately more than 1100 more calories per day.
With these tips, it would not be surprising to see your weight decrease in the first weeks, without even having to change 100% of your lifestyle. Remember that it is the small changes that bring great results in the long run!