7 Easy Tips to Avoid Weight Gain at Work

Avoid Weight Gain at Work

“Office 15” is a real thing. Gaining excess weight by sitting at a desk all day long surrounded by all sorts of unhealthy snacks is a problem for many people. But there are ways to lose those desk-bound pounds and stay trim on the job.

These 7 easy tips will not only prevent you from becoming a victim of the “Office 15” but will also help you take control of your work life and stay healthy and in shape. Let’s take a look!

Eat healthy snacks throughout the day

Be careful with what you eat, but don’t starve yourself in the process. If you don’t eat enough food to feel full, you’ll end up feeling dizzy or irascible and unable to perform your tasks properly.



Not to mention that when you do get a chance to eat, you’ll most likely end up overeating and consequently gaining weight.

To avoid this unpleasant situation, try to bring healthy snacks such as unsalted nuts, granola bars, fresh fruits or veggies to munch at the office if the cravings start.

Have your lunch elsewhere

It is a well-known fact that if you don’t pay attention to your food, your brain doesn’t receive the required signals that you’re full. This means you’ll be hungry again, sooner than you’d think!



That’s why weight management experts advise finding a place to have lunch away from the office environment, where pending tasks aren’t always on your mind. It’s important to have at least one mindful food interaction a day, so why not make it at lunch?

Move more

Most people have sedentary jobs that require them sitting at their desks for more than 8 hours a day. This is not only a sabotage of your waistline but of your overall health!

Therefore, try to take advantage of every opportunity you have, to move more. Walk to a restaurant outside the office building to have lunch, go to a park and munch on your healthy sandwich, use stairs instead of elevators.

Movement also alleviates stress and stress-induced binging, so get moving!

Don’t confuse thirst for hunger

When you have stacks of work to do, it’s easy to forget doing other things. Like drinking water.

But water is an essential nutrient your body needs. Sometimes, when your body is in need of water, it sends some mixed signals that might get confused with hunger and you end up overeating.



To avoid this, keep a reusable bottle on your desk and make an effort to drink as often as possible. You can use an app to remind you to get hydrated.

Don’t give up on exercise completely

It may seem difficult to maintain a full-time job and still have time to do other things in your free time. After you’ve been sitting at your desk all day, relaxing on the couch seems like the best idea. But sedentarism in never a good idea!

The best thing to do is workout, at least from time to time, to keep you energized and stress-free. Either in the morning, before work, or in the evening, exercise is a great way to avoid gaining weight and stay healthy.

Here’s what you can do to stay fit despite sitting at the office most of the day.

Control your weight with minty breath

Surprisingly, there’s a connection between oral hygiene and eating (too much). Apparently, brushing your teeth, apart from preventing cavities and bad breath, also works as a reminder that you’ve recently eaten, and you don’t need any snacks, thus limiting your calorie intake.

Specifically, brushing eliminates the microbes that mix with saliva and trick your brain into believing your hungry again. So, try it after you’ve had lunch or before a guilty evening snack.

Indulge in the occasional treat

There’s a silver lining to everything! When it comes to weight management, an occasional treat is just the right thing to keep you happy and still in control of your weight at work or elsewhere.

Nutritionists recommend enjoying the things you like to eat (in moderation!) and not depriving yourself of pleasure because it can lead to overeating. Restriction never works on the long term and does no favors to your weight.

So, be mindful and allow yourself that slice of cake or that pizza pie at the office party, you’ve worked hard for it!