Maybe one of the main things I've realized about having a desk job is that you sit... A lot. I figure that - combined with the hour drive each way and subtracting out my lunch break and periodic bathroom breaks - I sit about 9 hours during the work day. This is quite the shift from my normally highly-active lifestyle, filled with walking to and from classes and extracurricular activities and hardly ever being off my feet. Now I am starting to understand why some working adults may have trouble keeping off weight! Sheesh.
Well, approximately a month and 5 lbs. later, I've come up with a plan to help fight what I'll refer to as the "work weight."
1. Don't just sit. Rachel Johnson from Eatingwell.com says that just fidgeting during the day (tapping toes, bouncing legs, butt-clenches, even squirming in your seat) will burn 70 calories an hour. So, while you may look like you have serious ADHD or have had way too much coffee, just keep those toes a-tappin'.
2. Drink coffee. Now, I'm not saying go all crazy and down 12 cups full of sugar and cream per day, but I'll give you a little secret: Drinking 1 cup of black coffee temporarily boosts your metabolism by 15%, burning an extra 15 to 25 calories. Plus, coffee is full of antioxidants that provide all sorts of great benefits. Warm, delicious and a calorie-zapper? I'll have two cups, please!
3. Budget yourself. I never thought that I would correlate being on a budget with eating healthier, but there it is. I found that by giving myself a lunch/snack budget per week (I'm not talking only $30, but definitely not $300) helps me think twice about my food decisions. For instance, instead of eating at the oh-so delicious but not-so-healthy restaurants surrounding me, I decide to pack my lunch and snacks. This is easy on my wallet and my waistline because I can monitor what I'm eating and how many calories my lunch and snacks are packing. Plus, I get to carry around a sweet lunchbox, which boosts my "cool factor."
4. Walk. If you get an hour lunch break and work in a nice part of town, why not go for a walk? Even walking for 20 minutes will help keep your muscles engaged and metabolism pumping. Walk before lunch for the ultimate calorie-punch. Heck, maybe stop on the stairs on your way back and do 10 step-ups on each leg. Or, just go to the bathroom a lot. This gives you a great excuse to stretch those legs and will help you accommodate your new coffee-drinking habit. Walking also helps keep your blood flowing and in turn, will help you power through the afternoon. Double bonus!
5. Skip the soda (Yes, even diet ones). As much as I love a good-ol' Cola once in a while, I've learned to stay away from it. While it is delicious, soda is full of empty calories and sugar, which unfortunately don't do much for you while your sit the day away (Check out the sugar amounts: http://www.sugarstacks.com/beverages.htm ). Diet sodas aren't any better though-studies have shown artificial sweetners to increase your appetite and inhibit your body from determining when it's truly full, leading to overeating. So, unless you are just having your one-soda fix for the month, try not to make a habit of drinking soda regularly. Just try to stick to water instead.
Hopefully these tips help you become (or stay) a mean, lean, working machine.
Michelle Hankins: Journey to the Real World
http://www.mhankins12.wordpress.com
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