Dieting on the Job

We probably don't need to tell you how tough it is to lose weight when
you sit at a desk all day, five days a week. What's a dieter to do?

"Weight control is simply a mathematical equation," says Melinda
Hemmelgarn, MS, RD, nutritionist at the University of Missouri. "To lose
weight, you must burn more calories than you take in." If you sit at a
desk all day, you're sedentary and more likely to snack, which may make
it difficult to win the calorie contest.

The solution is to make the most of your desk's diet potential. We
surveyed weight-loss experts and dieters who've done it. Here are the
tricks they believe work best.
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Snack wisely. "A lot of people snack while they sit at the computer,"
says Hemmelgarn. If you're one of them, be prepared. Keep healthy
options handy so you don't rush off for an emergency visit to the
vending machine. Bring fresh fruit, veggies and salsa to work. One
dieter's smart suggestion: Keep snacks not at your desk, but stowed away
in a file cabinet. Out of sight, out of mind. If that strategy doesn't
work for you, only bring the amount you want to eat each day.
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Drink up. As with healthy foods, keep enough water at your desk and
you'll easily drink your six 8-ounces glasses by the end of the day.
Keep a bottle or glass full of fresh water next to your computer at all
times.
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Plan lunch. "I eat half of my lunch at 11:30; then, when the
mid-afternoon munchies hit, I eat the other half," suggests one dieter.
Schedule your lunch to protect against cravings. Also, says Hemmelgarn,
it's best to bring your lunch from home - that way, you can control your
portions and keep track of exactly how many calories you consume.
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Portion Patrol. In this age of "supersizing," prepacking your meals in
containers will help you eat reasonable servings. "Get to know true
serving sizes, and plan meals with that in mind," says Jean Anliker,
director of the Nutrition Education Program at the University of
Massachusetts, Amherst.A good guide to follow: One ounce of meat is
about the size of the average thumb, 2-3 ounces is about the size of a
palm, and a cup of cereal or rice is about the size of a fist.
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Move! "Even if it's just 10 minutes of exercise at a time," says Leanne
Wagner, a certified personal trainer in Los Angeles, "get up and move
whenever possible." Here are some ideas: Eat your lunch at a park a few
blocks away, and walk there instead of driving. Walk to a colleague's
desk rather than e-mailing or calling. Take the stairs instead of the
elevator.
Park as far away from the front door as possible.Include exercise breaks
in your calendar. Treat them just as you would any other appointment -
you have to be there! Place your wastepaper basket far away from your
desk so you'll have to move to throw away garbage.Place your phone out
of reach so you'll have to stretch or even get up to answer it.
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Exercise during off hours. Get in exercise before and after work to
offset all that sedentary time at your computer. "If you don't live too
far, think about walking to work," suggests Wagner. "And if that's not
possible, instead of spending an extra hour sitting in traffic, find a
gym near your office and go there instead. Once you're done exercising,
rush hour will be over and you'll still be home at the same time."
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Work out with friends. Get your co-workers in on the weight-loss game.
That way, you can encourage each other throughout the day, have healthy
lunches together and exercise together on breaks. Try organizing an
at-work exercise or diet group. See if your company is willing to give
you space and even funds for equipment (mats, weights, etc.).

Nothing is possible for the unwilling