The sedentary lifestyle and lifestyle of Western societies are one of the leading causes of overweight and obesity If we add a poor diet to this, we have a cocktail that is not exactly good for our health.
And the change in lifestyle habits related to the “industrial revolution” first and the “technological revolution” second, has caused many individuals to have a sedentary job, which has an impact on their health and general well-being.
The physical and psychological benefits of physical exercise and physical activity are numerous, but there are many people who do not do any sports and, in addition, have worrying sedentary habits. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a sedentary lifestyle is among the four highest risk factors for death. This same organization states that between 1980 and 2008 obesity rates in the world have doubled due to this factor
In Europe, the European Heart Network (EHN) has made a list of countries with the highest rate of sedentary lifestyle, and Spain is in fourth place with 42% of the population that does not practice physical exercise People with a sedentary job (for example, office work) spend 40 hours a week in front of the computer. But then they come home and spend their free time connecting to the tablet, watching television, etc.
This behavior and these habits bring with them negative consequences such as diabetes, heart problems, back pain, vision problems or overweight and obesity.
How to lose weight while working
Luckily, to avoid being overweight (and other health problems) it is possible to modify a series of habits that minimize the negative impact of sedentary work.
So if you spend long hours sitting at work and want not to gain weight and avoid fat accumulation, you can follow these tips.
1. Increase your NEAT
One of the best ways to lose weight is by speeding up your metabolism This does not mean exercising alone, which accounts for 15-30% of total caloric expenditure. But basal metabolism, that is, the calories that are consumed when we are at rest (because the body needs energy to perform essential metabolic functions, for example, breathing), accounts for 50-70% of our caloric expenditure.
One of the best ways to increase basal metabolism is through NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), which are simply the daily activities we do that affect the amount of calories we burn. For example, climbing stairs, or walking to work. Therefore, if your office is on the sixth floor, do not use the elevator. Likewise, if you can avoid the car and go to work by bicycle, you will be increasing NEAT and, therefore, basal metabolism and calorie burning.
2. Do high intensity exercise
As mentioned in the previous point, physical exercise accounts for 15-30% of total caloric expenditure. However, not all forms of exercise help us consume calories in the same way. Weight training helps build muscle, meaning the more muscle mass, the more calories burned at rest.
In addition, intensity training also promotes post-exercise fat burning, so, After the training session, we continue burning calories for the next 24 hours This means that, while we are working sedentarily, our body takes the opportunity to recover, repair muscle tissue and burn calories.
3. Eat fat burning foods
To lose weight it is not necessary to live in “fasting mode” or eat only salads. Thermogenesis, that is, the caloric energy we use when we digest food, represents 10-15% of total caloric expenditure and helps us burn fat. The body must be well nourished because physical activity or work requires that we have enough energy to carry out our tasks.
That’s why It is good to eat some natural foods that help us be more satiated they accelerate metabolism and allow us to burn fat for different reasons.
4. Don’t consume sugary drinks
If there are foods that are fat burners, there are also those that are the opposite, and sugary drinks are an example of this
These types of drinks provide unnecessary calories and also cause the glycemic index to increase, causing what is known as hyperglycemia. an increase in blood glucose. This makes us have a greater need to eat when it spends time favoring the carvingand makes us continue eating foods rich in sugar and fat.
5. Take food from home
A good way to avoid overeating is to bring food from home If we go to a restaurant at lunchtime with co-workers, we may possibly exceed the daily calorie needs. In addition, we run the risk of having dessert, which will generally provide extra calories.
If you take a tupperware to work, you can carefully select what you are going to eat. If you don’t want to gain weight, you may choose healthier foods.
6. Eat five times a day
One of the keys to increasing thermogenesis is to eat five meals a day, which helps prevent excess calories from accumulating in just a few meals. By eating five times during the day, the body will spend more time digesting food and therefore caloric expenditure will increase. That does not mean that it is necessary to eat five large meals, but that you have to distribute a day’s calories over 5 meals.
Breakfast has turned out to be essential for burning calories throughout the day, so skipping it is not a good alternative. If you want some ideas for healthy snacks, you can read our article: “7 healthy snacks (very easy to prepare)”
I’m Emily Williams Jones, a psychologist specializing in mental health with a focus on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness. With a Ph.D. in psychology, my career has spanned research, clinical practice and private counseling. I’m dedicated to helping individuals overcome anxiety, depression and trauma by offering a personalized, evidence-based approach that combines the latest research with compassionate care.
