If you’re one of the tens of millions working from home during the pandemic, you’re probably already familiar with the benefits. Your commute has been reduced to bed-to-desk, you can wear whatever you want (sweatpants are fantastic!), and you know where the best snacks are hidden.
However, these benefits can quickly become hurdles when your goal is to shed a few pounds. But the good news is, just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to your goal weight. Check out these six helpful home office weight loss tips to reach your goals in no time.
Start The Day With A Workout
Several studies have found that people have been moving less and sitting more during the COVID-19 pandemic. It makes sense—when you’re home all day, there’s no long commute, no meetings to walk to, and no coffee shop to go to during breaks. But less exercise is not conducive to achieving your weight loss goals.
If you want to optimize your exercise for weight loss, try exercising first thing in the morning. A 2019 study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that people who exercised before noon lost more weight over ten months than people who exercised later in the day (after 3 p.m.). Researchers also found that people who exercised early were more active overall and ate slightly less than people who exercised late in the day. Training in the morning gets you up to speed faster – and you can cross this task off your to-do list as soon as possible.
Keep Moving Throughout The Day
To stay healthy, it is not enough to exercise only once; it also depends on how often you move during the day. Sitting for long periods without movement is associated with an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. And since one very often forgets to move when working from home, it is essential to change your habits and plan movement breaks.
Replacing 30 minutes of sitting time with low- or moderate-intensity exercise can help prevent some of these risks. So bring yourself to take breaks from training during the day. Take virtual meetings or calls on the move if possible, or set a timer to remind you to get up and stretch every hour . Or how about ten jumping jacks while the coffee is brewing? Be creative and think of the short and fast range of motion exercises combined with an activity that comes up more frequently during the day.
Prefer Protein
Protein helps build strong muscles and keeps the body full and satisfied longer than just carbs or sugary snacks. It helps avoid overeating (which is so easy when the kitchen is steps away from the desk!) and keeps energy and spirits steady throughout the day. When assembling your meals (and snacks), pay attention to protein. Combine, e.g., Add fruit with nut butter, for example, or mix beans or hemp seeds into your lunch salad to ensure your meal gives you staying power.
Do you find it challenging to meet your protein needs through food? Our whey protein is the optimal source of protein – not only after training.
Don’t Multitask While Eating
Having breakfast and answering emails at the same time – a classic home office situation. But as convenient and time-saving as it may seem to eat while you work, you should avoid it if you want to lose weight. Studies have found that eating while distracted causes you to eat more at that meal but also at later meals in the day. And that’s a problem when trying to stick to a specific calorie intake. Eat your meals before and after work or on a natural break where you’re not distracted by your phone or laptop.
Take Time To Relax
Do you still check email after work or stay online longer because you don’t have to go home from work? The separation of work and private life is one of the biggest challenges in the home office. But your home should always be a place to relax, where you don’t have to be available on call 24/7. The constant availability and lack of downtime can cause stress, affecting your weight and appetite. Make sure you turn off your computer at a particular time each day, change your email settings, so you don’t receive notifications at night or on weekends, and develop an after-work ritual (e.g., drinking tea and reading a magazine), which makes the transition into the evening easier for you.
We Were Meeting Up With Friends To Train
Exercising with someone, whether your partner, a roommate, or a friend, can help you reach your fitness and weight loss goals. Having someone sweat with you is motivating and benefits from being consistent. (Because slacking off not only harms you but your friend as well.) If you’re having a hard time motivating yourself to exercise, call a friend and make a date.
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