A sedentary lifestyle can lead to decreased activity and weight gain. How to lose weight and stay fit if your job is sedentary? This is quite possible if you follow a few simple rules.

A sedentary lifestyle: what are its risks?

The consequences of a sedentary lifestyle are serious and, above all, extend to health. Due to decreased activity and prolonged sitting, digestive processes are disrupted, which often leads to chronic constipation. Venous insufficiency can also develop, and it can provoke varicose veins. Another threat is blood stagnation in the pelvic organs, which can lead to disruptions in the reproductive system. In addition, people who work in an office may have a weakened immune system, which can lead to frequent colds.

Another problem, especially relevant for the fair sex, is excess weight, which is also associated with a sedentary lifestyle. If you do not move, then the calories and fats you receive from food do not have time to be burned and go “in reserve”, being deposited in problem areas in the form of extra centimeters and kilograms. Also, with a sedentary lifestyle, metabolism slows down, which makes energy expenditure even slower and contributes to weight gain.

The right diet

Proper nutrition is not only a guarantee of health, but also a guarantee of a slim figure, so you should start with developing a suitable diet, which largely depends on your lifestyle and activity level.

When creating a menu, adhere to several basic principles:

1. As a rule, people whose professions involve mental work lead a sedentary lifestyle. And for the smooth functioning of the brain, glucose is required, which allows you to support all mental processes and is used as the main source of energy. And therefore, the menu must include carbohydrate foods, and in sufficient quantities.
2. Only the “right” carbohydrates! And these are the so-called slow ones, which are not absorbed immediately, but gradually, due to which they help produce energy and do not go “in reserve.” First of all, such carbohydrates are found in cereals, so feel free to eat muesli, cereal porridge, and whole grain rye bread. In addition, you can allow yourself nuts, which also provide energy and, if consumed in moderation, will not be stored as extra pounds.
3. Less fat. Their consumption should be reduced to a minimum, so avoid fatty meats, lard, bacon, and high-fat dairy products. And yet, it is absolutely impossible to exclude these food components, since they take part in the synthesis of certain hormones.
4. We count calories. To start losing weight, the body must burn more calories than it comes from food. Therefore, it is worth reducing the daily intake to approximately 1200-1500 kcal.
5. Follow your diet. Don't skip meals, it's bad for your digestion and health. It is best to stick to fractional meals: eat more often (at least four to five times a day), but in small portions. Breakfast should be nutritious, but for dinner it is best to eat protein foods with vegetables. An excellent second breakfast or afternoon snack would be fruit or yogurt. The last meal should be taken no later than 6-7 pm or at least four hours before bedtime.
6. Proper preparation. It is best to choose boiling, steaming, baking or stewing as methods of heat treatment of foods.

Physical activity

How to lose weight if sedentary work makes it difficult to maintain normal weight? Even if you reduce your daily calorie intake as much as possible and eat right, your body weight will still not decrease significantly, since physical activity is required to expend energy and maintain metabolism. But what to do if your profession forces you to constantly sit and be in one position? You will have to change your life, but only for the better!

To maintain and increase physical activity, follow these simple tips:

• Join a gym. Even busy people will probably find time to exercise at least twice a week. If this is problematic for you, then choose a sports club that is open late and located near your home or office.
• If possible, avoid personal transport. Even after reaching the stop, you will take a short walk and burn about 100 calories. And if you get off the bus at a stop earlier, the consumption will be even more noticeable.
• Don't use elevators. Climbing stairs is a great dynamic exercise that works multiple muscle groups. And you can even do it in the office.
• Make good use of your breaks. During lunch or other free moments, do not sit on a chair, but get up and walk, at least around the office or even in the office. In addition, you can perform simple movements: your colleagues will approve of this and will probably support you.
• Learn exercises that you can do while sitting. So, you can raise and lower your legs, strain your buttocks or abdominal muscles.

It is possible to lose weight even with a sedentary lifestyle. But for this you need to eat right and move more.

Physical inactivity is one of the most pressing problems of the 21st century. Today, when almost everything is controlled by computers, most people are forced to spend entire days in offices. And sedentary work, like nothing else, contributes to excess weight gain, which will not be so easy to get rid of later.

But nutritionists assure that there are some ways that will help you maintain your figure even while leading such a lifestyle. with sedentary work, no matter how much time is spent in the office, it is possible in any case.

According to leading experts, in most cases, a sedentary lifestyle leads to weight gain only in people who initially have a predisposition to be overweight. The main reasons for gaining extra pounds are:

• a person consumes more calories per day than he spends;
• lack of movement almost always leads to deterioration of blood circulation, which disrupts the functioning of internal organs and systems;
• Most office workers do not have the opportunity to eat a balanced diet during the working day, which causes them to overeat at night.

If you work sedentary, in order to prevent weight gain, you need to try to eliminate all of the above reasons. Only in this case can you count on maintaining your figure. In addition, recruitment can be caused by constant stress and nervous experiences, which is not uncommon for office work.

In this state, sugar levels rise and cortisol production is activated. The brain receives a signal to consume more calories, which are an additional source of energy.

Why is a sedentary lifestyle bad?

Doctors warn that a sedentary lifestyle can lead to much more serious problems than gaining a few pounds. Constant physical inactivity can cause the following health problems:

• development of obesity in women. Men most often develop a “beer belly”;
• prostatitis, problems with potency;
• the appearance of osteochondrosis and the occurrence of other lesions of the spinal column;
• deterioration of the myocardium and vascular system;
• haemorrhoids;
• bowel dysfunction;
• formation of stones in the kidneys.

Depending on the individual characteristics of the body, a sedentary lifestyle can provoke the development of more serious problems.

How to lose weight during sedentary work for women and men

To quickly get rid of the gained kilograms, you need to deal with the problem comprehensively. A person will not only have to reconsider his diet and nutrition plan, but also be sure to start playing sports.

If conditions permit, gymnastics can be done right in the office. Performing basic exercises will help speed up the process and give a person vigor and energy, making the working day easier.

Catering

There are several ways to lose weight with a sedentary lifestyle. The most effective and efficient method is to adjust your diet. Representatives of the fair sex spend about 2000 kcal per day. To lose weight, you need to eat about 200-300 kcal less per day.

Nutritionists warn that there is no need to sharply limit yourself in nutrition. If the weight comes off quickly, it may come back later. The most comfortable way for the body is to lose weight when you lose no more than 1 kilogram per week.

It is also important to consider that if weight loss occurs too quickly, it will not be due to fat, but due to the removal and reduction of muscles.

To reduce weight and the appearance of cellulite while sitting, you need to adhere to the following rules:

• It is recommended to eat 5-6 times a day in small portions;
• meals are taken every 2 hours (preferably at the same time);
• the best option is for the diet to consist of a full breakfast, lunch and dinner and 2 snacks;
• The basis of the diet should be fruits, vegetables, dairy products (with low fat content), lean meat, cereals, and seafood. You will need to give up flour products and fried foods. Fast food, soda, sweets and alcoholic beverages are also prohibited. During the winter season, fresh vegetables can be replaced with canned or frozen ones. It is recommended to add honey to tea instead of sugar;
• the most high-calorie meal is lunch;
• fruits are recommended to be consumed before 4 pm;
• It is advisable that dinner consist of proteins and vegetables;
• The last meal is taken 2-3 hours before bedtime.

Also the most important condition is compliance with the drinking regime. During the working day you need to drink at least 1.5 liters of water.

Important to remember! To prevent the appearance of cellulite, you need to limit your coffee consumption. It is recommended to drink no more than 3 cups of this aromatic drink per day.

Physical activity

Joint gymnastics will help eliminate extra centimeters and correct your figure. One of the most effective exercises is the usual rotation of all joints: hands, shoulders, knees, pelvic joint and head.

In addition, bending over (it is recommended to do them back and forth, left and right) will help stretch your joints and muscles. Even 10-minute gymnastics will help minimize the risk of complications and invigorate the body.

It is recommended to do it every 2 hours. The following exercises are also very useful:

• You need to take a comfortable position on a chair and pull in your stomach as much as possible. The position needs to be fixed for 5 seconds and then relax. The exercise must be performed at least 20 times;
• Sitting on a chair, you need to bring your knees together. After this, you need to imagine that they are trying to deceive them. The main task in this case is to squeeze the hips as long as possible. The exercise should be performed several times a day;
• without getting up from the chair, you need to tense your buttocks as much as possible, fixing the position for a few seconds. The exercise must be repeated at least 5 times.

If work allows, you can perform other exercises during the day:

• you need to stand up and cross your legs. Then stretch your arms forward and begin to tilt your body. You need to bend as far as your balance allows. The position is fixed for 10 seconds, after which you can straighten up, the exercise is performed at least 8 times;
• You need to place your feet slightly wider than shoulder level and bend your knees slightly. The back should remain straight. You need to hold out in this position for the maximum amount of time. After some time, this exercise can be complicated by squats.

Regular walks in the fresh air are a prerequisite. If time and weather permit, you can simply abandon public transport and return home on foot. It is also very useful to avoid the elevator and take the stairs.

And high-calorie treats at work are not possible - keep them in opaque bowls or boxes. This way they won't "tease and seduce".

#2. Move your trash can to the far corner of the room—you'll have to get up and walk around to throw out even a small piece of paper.

#3. Make it a habit to walk to the cooler (preferably on a different floor) and pour half a glass of water - this will force you to get out of your chair more often and maintain the desired level of hydration. Do this every time you feel a pang of hunger.

#4. You can get to at least the seventh floor in an office building without an elevator. Ideally, do 20 lifts per day.

#5. Never eat in front of a work monitor!

How to lose weight at work

#6. Replace coffee with green tea. To start, at least once a day.

#7. Do you want to eliminate the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle? Instead of a chair, sit on a fitball several times a week.

#8. Working while standing up from time to time will help you complete the task faster and burn more calories.

#9. Adding a teaspoon/tablespoon of chia seeds to your lunch is an easy way to instantly add nutritional value while being healthy for your figure.

#10. Place a small mirror on the table and look into it every time your hand reaches for foods prohibited by the diet. In fact, it's the equivalent of the phrase "think twice."

How to lose weight at work

#eleven. Stress is a popular cause of excess weight (there is a direct connection between the “fear hormone” cortisol and body fat). And the phone is one of the biggest sources of stress. Put a small, visible sticker on it (a yellow dot or something similar) as a reminder to take a deep breath before answering the phone. Not only will you feel better, but you will also sound more confident.

#12. Try chewing gum a little to quickly relieve tension.

#13. Have lunch from 13.00 to 15.00 - you will lose weight 25% faster than if you do it later.

#14. Run up the stairs for 30 seconds, five times, every four minutes - minus 200 calories.

#15. A slice of orange dulls your appetite and helps you calm down. An alternative is the smell of orange/tangerine aroma oil.

#16. Avoid ready-made snacks from the machine - they are high in calories, empty and in the very short term will only provoke another wave of hunger.

#18. In case of “nervous snacking”, which often occurs during busy periods, keep a bag of almonds on hand.

#19. The best snack pairings for the office: hummus + celery and apple slices + cheese. They make you feel full for a long time.

#20. How to lose weight at work if you have to sit constantly. Do you need to read important documents or just have a few minutes to spend on your favorite magazine/website? Do this by taking a leisurely stroll around your workspace.

How to lose weight while working sedentarily

#21. The bottom drawer of the table is for training clothes and sneakers. What if you finish early and manage to pop into the gym? Eliminate all obstacles that prevent you from being active, including lack of concentration.

#22. A perfect butt without looking up from your chair at an important meeting or while answering email? Easily! Squeeze your gluteal muscles forcefully and hold the tension for 10 seconds. Relax for five seconds. And repeat four times.

#23. Do any of your colleagues really need to talk to you and discuss matters face to face? Invite him on a short walk.

#24. A snack is still a snack, not a mini-meal. Limit it to 200 calories.

#25. Find a couple of disciplined, like-minded people in the office who will lose weight with you (perhaps a kind of friendly rivalry will be a great motivator).

Svetlana Markova

Beauty is like a precious stone: the simpler it is, the more precious it is!

Content

Physical inactivity is the scourge of the 21st century. A decrease in activity has a detrimental effect on all human life systems. Office (sedentary) work, unhealthy diet, and inactive lifestyle lead to excess weight gain, so how can you lose weight while working sedentarily? A few basic principles of proper nutrition and increased activity during the working day will help you lose weight and achieve the body of your dreams.

What does a sedentary lifestyle lead to?

Sedentary work and an inactive lifestyle slow down metabolic processes in the body, which leads to weight gain and deterioration in the quality of skin, hair, teeth, and nails. In addition, the blood thickens, resulting in thrombosis and other diseases associated with the cardiovascular system. With low activity, muscles atrophy, they become flabby and do not look aesthetically pleasing. Failure to maintain posture while sitting leads to various types of scoliosis, and this affects the functioning of internal organs.

How many calories do you need for sedentary work?

A young woman needs to consume approximately 2000 kcal per day to maintain weight. How can a woman lose weight while working sedentarily? You need to create a deficit of 100-200 kcal, but at the same time adhere to the balance of BZHU. You can calculate your daily requirement of KBJU using mobile applications or online calculators. Comfortable weight loss for the body – 1 kg per week. There is no need to cut your diet to a critical minimum and go on low-calorie diets; at first you will lose weight, but only due to water and muscles. Such a stressful situation can turn into a breakdown and subsequently gain weight.

Nutrition during sedentary work

It is important to eat frequently, i.e. adhere to the principles of separate nutrition. Feeling hungry signals that your energy supply is running low. Try not to feel very hungry, in this case the body will squeeze out the maximum calories from the subsequent meal, and this can have a bad effect on your figure. Eat every 2.5-3 hours, preferably at the same time, the main thing is not to overeat to the point of exhaustion. This way the body will know when food arrives and will provide itself with the resources to process it as quickly as possible. Fractional eating speeds up metabolism, which promotes weight loss.

Diet for weight loss

A sedentary diet for weight loss should consist of 3 main meals and 2-3 snacks. All calories should be divided into 5-6 meals. It is advisable to give up alcohol, it is very high in calories, contains toxic substances, fast food, carbonated drinks, and store-bought sweets. They contain a lot of sugar and trans fats, which extend the shelf life of the product. You can replace sweets with healthy desserts based on oatmeal or gluten-free flour, low-fat cottage cheese, and the addition of dried fruits. You can add honey and a sweetener to tea and other drinks.

Main meals should have more calories than snacks. The most high-calorie meal is lunch. All sweet foods (fast carbohydrates) are best eaten in the first half of the day. It is advisable to consume fruits and cereals before 16:00. A full dinner should consist of protein foods and vegetables. These can be lean meats, poultry, cottage cheese, eggs and a salad of fresh seasonal vegetables. In winter, you can use canned and frozen mixtures. Late dinner no later than 2 hours before bedtime. An important point for losing weight is to have enough water in the body, so do not forget to drink clean water.

What to snack on at work to lose weight

To protect yourself from consuming harmful foods during a sedentary job, prepare a brake in the morning. A sandwich made from whole grain bread (bread) with ham, cheese, a fresh apple or a small handful of dried fruits is perfect as a first snack. During the working day, a false feeling of hunger may arise, which can be satisfied with a glass of clean water or a cup of green tea.

The ideal lunch is cereal (minimally processed) combined with protein foods (boiled chicken breast, eggs, seafood, etc.). For the second snack, it is better to eat 150-200 g of low-fat cottage cheese or a handful of your favorite nuts (not salted), they are perfectly filling, but you need to clearly regulate the quantity. A glass of homemade yogurt or low-fat kefir will also do. It’s possible to lose weight while working at a sedentary job; first you need to adjust your diet.

How to burn calories while sitting at work

Most of the energy that comes from food is spent on the life support of the body: breathing, digestion processes, brain activity, etc. Excess calories need to be burned through exercise. How to lose weight for a lazy person with a sedentary job? During breaks, you can bring your body into the desired shape with the help of light gymnastics, massage, and simple physical exercises. Sedentary work is not a death sentence; any activity contributes to weight loss.

Massage

During sedentary work, during moments of rest, you can perform self-massage. To stimulate blood circulation and improve brain activity, you need to massage your ears. Just a few minutes of this exercise will activate your brain and give you a boost of energy. By massaging problem areas (abdomen, thighs), you improve blood circulation in these areas, which helps destroy fat cells. After work or on weekends, you can visit a massage salon; the procedure perfectly relaxes muscles, straightens posture, and improves blood circulation throughout the body.

Gymnastics at work

Joint gymnastics or a light set of exercises will help you get rid of extra centimeters during sedentary work. Rotations of the head, hands, arms, shoulders, knees, and pelvis will stretch the joints. Bends to the sides, forward, and backward will strengthen the abdominal muscles. 5-10 minutes of joint exercises are enough to feel a surge of strength. It can be repeated every 2-3 hours. This way you won’t have to sit forever at work, plus your eyes will have a rest from the computer and other equipment.

Physical activity with a sedentary lifestyle

If dietary adjustments were not enough and the question of how to lose weight while working sedentary remains relevant, then you need to increase physical activity. Start moving more, walk instead of cars and public transport. Instead of the elevator, go up the stairs to the desired floor. Visit the gym or work out at home. Take evening walks; fresh air also helps you lose weight. Buy a pedometer, follow the established norm, walking burns calories perfectly.

For those who don't move much but want to be in great shape.

#1 . Don't eat while sitting at the monitor. It seems trivial, but this rule really gives results. While working, you have no control over the amount of food you eat because your brain is busy solving work problems. In 80% of cases, it is this reason that leads to weight gain at work.

#2 . Hide all the sweets you have lying around at work in opaque boxes. It is very difficult to give up sweets completely. But you can reduce its consumption - if cookies or marshmallows are not constantly looming before your eyes, the number of calories per day will significantly decrease.

#3. Try to make more movements - park as far as possible from work, walk at lunch, get off at the stop before the office; Make it a habit to take the stairs instead of the elevator - this way your muscles will remain toned and your metabolism will not “fall asleep.” Think of movement not as a load, but as an opportunity to relax and “stretch” after sitting in a chair for a long time.

#4. Start a new habit - drinking water. Place the bottle on your desk so that it is always in front of your eyes, so you can easily drink the required 2 liters - your metabolism will go much faster and you will want to eat less than when you almost never drink water.

#5. Don't overload yourself with coffee. In fact, it invigorates and stimulates metabolism only if you drink it once a day - in the morning. In general, coffee is a drink that retains fluid in the body, causing metabolism to slow down, swelling to appear, and weight to increase.

#6. During the day, instead of coffee, drink black tea - it invigorates better than coffee due to the fact that it increases blood pressure. And if coffee provokes an increase in heart rate, then tea does not do the same.

#7. Keep a small mirror at work - take it out and look at yourself every time you want to eat food that can harm your body: lead to skin problems or excess weight.

#8. Add a spoonful of fiber to your yogurt. According to statistics, most women who work in offices snack on yoghurt. Adding fiber will make it more healthy - so you will quickly lose weight, and also get rid of toxins.

#9. Stress causes an increase in cortisol, a hormone that is released in the body when we are nervous. Among the many side effects it has is weight gain. In such situations, breathe deeply - this way the heartbeat will return to normal and the body will “calm down”. Scientists also believe that stress is relieved by... chewing gum (!), since the chewing process “calms” the brain.

#10. Don't skip breakfast and lunch. Our body has a self-preservation system. In the absence of food, it begins to store fat and slows down its metabolism, in case food never arrives.

#11. The aroma of orange essential oil reduces appetite and improves mood. Keep it in your desk.

#12. A snack is a snack, not a full meal. And its calorie content should be less than that of the “main food” - no more than 200 kcal.

#13. Avoid snacks (chocolate bars, crackers) - they seem harmless, but very quickly lead to weight gain due to the fact that they contain an prohibitive amount of fat.

#14. Keep healthy snacks in your desk in case you want to eat: a bag of nuts (but don’t get carried away with them, although they are healthy, they are very high in calories), dried apricots, figs, low-fat yogurt, slices of fruit, etc.

#15. Bring a ready-made lunch from home. This has many advantages: you create your own diet and are confident in the quality of the ingredients, you avoid questionable dishes in cafes and fast food snacks. On top of everything else, you also save money.

#16. Keep your sportswear in the bottom drawer so you can go to work out - this way you will burn calories more often than when you need to specially get ready and mentally tune in to go to the fitness club.

#17. There is a secret to keeping your gluteal muscles toned besides the stairs, this is a basic exercise that can be done without getting up from your chair. Squeeze your muscles forcefully and hold for 10 seconds. Then relax for 5 seconds. You need to do this 4 times.

#18. Find colleagues in the office who are also determined to get in shape and lose weight together - competition for the best shape will motivate you.