4 Simple Tips To Avoid Weight Gain In The...

You think that after college you won’t have to deal with the Freshman 15 ever again. You’ve learned restraint now, right? That time in your life has passed.

But getting your first office job is a whole new game.

Now, instead of running from class to class, you’re driving from work to home, and sitting in between. Not only that, but between free bagels and donuts, snacking at your desk, and taking giant slices of cake at the all-too-frequent office birthday party, it’s pretty easy to pack it on.

So how do you avoid it? It’s not easy, but as someone who has both gained and lost weight while working an office job, I feel like I’m pretty qualified to speak on the subject.

1. Don’t pass up every office snack. It’s totally okay to indulge in those office donuts once in a while. If you reject them every time, you become that person no one likes who rejects everyone’s snacks. Let yourself eat some every once in a while. If you know there’s going to be a party at work, plan your eating schedule so you can afford it.
2. Stock your desk with healthy snacks. At my first office job, I can’t even tell you the number of times that I ran upstairs to get a pack of M&Ms, because I had nothing to satisfy my cravings and there was nothing to just crunch on. This continued with chips, candy, and other junk until I started keeping healthy stuff at work. Snap pea crisps, carrots, berries, and other whole fruits and veggies have been my saviors. Gum works great to curb cravings, too.
3. Keep a water bottle at your desk. Often, when you think you’re hungry at work, you’re just thirsty. Keeping a water bottle right next to you will ensure that you’re hydrated and that you’re not letting your cravings take advantage of you.  

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4. Make time for exercise. This is probably the most obnoxious tip, because you already know you should do this. I’m lucky enough that I like working out after work, but if that’s not you, then try to find something that does work for you. It will save you from restlessness at work and you’ll feel much better during the eight hours or more that you have to sit every day. It’s become something to look forward to, for me, and I find myself enjoying exercise much more than I used to.

Have you ever dealt with weight gain at your job? How did you deal with it?