Growing up, I used to watch the skyscrapers on TV with wide-eyed wonder. Those tall, beautiful structures filled with fabulous business people doing important work captivated me from an early age. I had a lot to learn about the gap between my ambition and the day-to-day realities of my dream career. For one thing, I had no idea that those jobs also mean figuring out how to lose weight with a desk job!

I remember the feeling when I got my first office job in one of those towering buildings when I moved to New York City. I was elated!

Of course, over time the glamor of working a desk job turned into a reality of pressing deadlines and hurried lunches hunched over the keyboard.

I love what I do, but even when you love your career, you might not love the ever-growing belly that’s protruding over your slacks. Thanks, office job weight gain.

The good news is, I’ve figured out how to lose weight with a desk job, and I’ve got some awesome tips to help you do it.

Losing weight is more difficult when your job involves sitting for hours a day, and there’s a lot of evidence that it’s also REALLY bad for your health.

Not moving enough has been linked to obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, depression and anxiety, and other serious illnesses. (1)

So, moving IS important, and I have some helpful ideas to keep you moving and healthy in small ways every day. I also know from personal experience, and working with many clients that for weight loss in particular, what you eat is 80% of the battle.

In this post, I’ll give you,

• 8 healthy food ideas and habits that will show you how to lose weight with a desk job
• 4 Smart and simple food swaps to help you burn calories at your desk
• Recipes and snack ideas to set you up for maximum metabolism boost with minimal effort
• 4 targeted exercises and habits that will bio-hack your way to a healthy weight

Diet is 80% of weight loss

#1. Pack your lunch to lose your belly paunch

It might sound trite, but I have to mention this as the number one thing you can use for how to lose weight with a desk job because it is SO effective.

Pack… your…lunch! 

This is one of the simplest and most powerful ways you can gain control back over what fuel you give your body every day.

Packing a lunch doesn’t have to be a headache, either. It can be simple and add ZERO stress. Actually, packing healthy food makes lunchtime less stressful because you don’t have to decide what to get in the moment.

This also leaves you with more time to squeeze in some mid-day exercise. More on that later!

#2. Smart, simple food swaps to cinch in your waistline

This is another genius way to hack the system and outsmart the junk food manufacturers who are making you feel bloated and fat.

Have a stash of snacks that satisfy your need for a little crunch, flavor, or something warm and soothing midday without undoing all the good progress you’re making to a healthy weight.

Here are some of my favorite healthy food swaps.

SWAP: Coffee with cinnamon instead of sugary specialty coffee drinks

Daydreaming of a frappuccino, latte, or mocha? Indulge in a black coffee sprinkled with sweet, exciting cinnamon and a splash of unsweetened almond milk, if you like.

It’ll satisfy your need to indulge while burning fat cells (especially in the belly) and protect against diabetes.

SWAP: Spice, herbal, or green tea (hot or iced) instead of juice or soda, diet soda, or juice drinks  

This will give you a nice refreshing drink that can help boost weight loss instead of stagnating it.

SWAP: Nuts for afternoon crunch instead of chips. 

Nuts provide your body with healthy fats that sustain you, as well as healthy vitamins and minerals. (2)

Here’s my cooking video for my delicious Masala Mixed Nuts!

Chips, on the other hand, leave you still hungry and craving more in no time. They also offer NO health benefits. In fact, most have cheap oils that will add to belly fat and obesity.

SWAP: Dark chocolate for vending machine candy bars

By enjoying at least 80% dark chocolate you’ll get the healthy fats and antioxidants in cocoa while savoring a smooth, luxurious treat.

Vending machine candy has had pretty much all of the healthy parts cooked out and replaced by high amounts of sugar that your liver will turn straight to fat cells on your thighs. It’s a fast track to desk job weight gain.

#3 Take time to actually experience the food you’re eating

This means no wolfing it down while answering emails.

If you need to, take your lunch outside or in the office lobby so you’re not tempted to multi-task.

Stress adds to weight gain (read about how to lose stress weight here) and not savoring food makes you hungry again sooner because you feel like you didn’t even eat. 

#4 Outsmart your cravings by planning food ahead of time

How to lose weight with a desk job means having a plan. This is because you don’t give into the belly-fattening food of the moment (learn how to burn belly fat here).

Cook a big batch at once on weekends and make it easier on yourself throughout the week.

I love making a big batch of easy crock pot chilli or crock pot chicken masala I can scoop ready-to-heat and eat meals out of throughout the week.

Healthy habits that counteract the scale

#5. Get sleep to empower your body’s fat burning

I can’t stress this one enough, and it’s WAY overlooked by busy, ambitious women like us.

In order for your body to burn extra calories and fat efficiently, you have to get good sleep. (3) Read more about how closely linked sleep and weight loss are here.

#6. Getting SOME exercise is better than nothing

Aim for 2-3 days a week or 30-minutes of exercise every day. (3)

There are lots of ways you can make this happen that don’t involve trips to the gym.

For example, walk more! Get off the subway one stop earlier than normal and walk a few extra minutes to the office.

Skip the elevator hustle, and take the stairs up to your floor in the morning. (4) Or go for a walk around the block on your lunch break. 

#7 Don’t sit all day. Stand for weight loss!

This is gaining popularity, for good reason! It’s a key for office workers in how to lose weight with a desk job.

You can do this by getting a standing desk, or just get in the habit of standing while you make phone calls.

Standing throughout the day, instead of just sitting all day long has been linked to healthier blood sugar levels and burning more calories. (4)

It’s such a simple thing that can make a big difference!

#8 Set an alarm for mini workouts and get results

It’s easy to get sucked into your work and hardly notice the hours fly by. By setting an alarm to go off every couple hours or so, you can remind yourself to get up and move.

Doing jumping jacks or stretches can get your blood flowing, reduce your blood sugar levels and boost your metabolism. (5)

Try this easy, 7-minute workout from the New York Times Well Blog.

You definitely have 7 minutes and it’s so worth cracking the code for how to lose weight with a desk job!