Working from home can be such a joy with tons of benefits. One of them is not having to commute to work. But if your daily commute is active either by bike or walking you may miss out on some important exercise. This can lead to you gaining weight when working from.
If you find yourself packing on the pounds while working from home, you’re not alone. Many people face this issue and it can be difficult to overcome. While there are many temptations to snack or eat unhealthy foods when you’re at home, there are also things you can do to combat weight gain. By making simple changes to your routine and being mindful of what you’re eating, you can avoid putting on extra pounds.
See more below if you have experienced or fear gaining weight when working from home.
Why weight gain is common when working from home
weight gain is common when working from home for a number of reasons. This may not come as a surprise to you but it revolves around eating and not moving.
First, there is usually no set schedule when working from home, which can lead to late-night snacking and eating more meals during the day. You are responsible for your own breaks and probably do not have a scheduled lunch break. That can lead to you eating more and more often during the day.
Secondly, people tend to be less active when working from home since they don’t have to commute or walk around the office. This is called incidental exercise. And you won’t get any of it if you sit around your home all day, unfortunately.
And finally, many people work from home in their pajamas and in a really relaxed state, which can make it harder to resist the temptation to snack. And does not exactly entice you to go out and get some exercise.
Also, if you are not motivated, if you hate working from home, or feel bored all the time, it may be more tempting to go into the snack drawer.
Why we tend to eat more when working from home
A lot of us have started working from home recently, and one thing that seems to be a common issue is that we end up eating more. There are a few reasons for this. First, when we’re at home, we have easy access to food. We don’t have to wait for a break or go out of our way to get something to eat. Second, we may not be as active when working from home, so we end up burning fewer calories. And lastly, working from home can be stressful, and sometimes we turn to food as a way to comfort ourselves.
If you find yourself eating more now that you’re working from home, there are a few things you can do to help stop the mindless snacking. First, try to keep unhealthy snacks out of the house.
Though working from home has many benefits, one downside is that people tend to eat more. This is because there are more distractions and less structure when working from home. Without set mealtimes or breaks, it’s easy to mindlessly snack or grab something quick to eat. This can lead to weight gain and other health problems over time.
There are a few reasons why people eat more when working from home. First, there are more distractions at home than in an office setting. It’s easy to get up and grab a snack or make a quick meal when working from home. Secondly, there is less structure when working from home. Meals and breaks are not as scheduled, so people often forget to eat or end up eating at odd times.
Ways to combat weight gain while working from home
You might be loving the flexibility of working from home or working in a hybrid model. But it may lead you to be a little bit less active and more snacking than before. But don’t worry, there are ways to combat gaining weight when working from home.
Get up and move around every hour or so. Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you have to be glued to your chair all day long. Get up and move around for a few minutes every hour or so. Take a walk, do some stretches or just pace around your house. It all helps and also helps you stay more focused.
Make healthy snacks available. If you have healthy snacks available, you’re more likely to reach for them when you’re feeling hungry. Often, people turn to unhealthy snacks because they are available. If you make sure they are tucked away and replaced with healthy ones you can create a more healthy habit for yourself. This helps you avoid eating junk food and keeps your energy levels up.
Get outside for lunch. Take an hour or two for lunch, or even just a half hour, and get outside for some fresh air and exercise. You’ll come back recharged and ready to work. Often people just eat their lunge by their desks but try and get out when it’s time for lunch.
You can also buy yourself a stand-up desk to help yourself out of the office chair. Maybe your workplace can buy it for you.
If you have a really nice home office setup you can combine it with setting up a home gym combined with your office. That makes it even easier to get some exercise into your workday. Also, you can look into home workout programs like the one that Arnold Schwarzenegger made.
How to create a healthy home office environment
If you work from home, it’s important to create a healthy and active environment. At least if you fear gaining weight when working from home. By having a healthy work environment you can easily access exercise. But also just feel great. If you are comfortable all day you are more likely to stay motivated to exercise also.
Here are some tips to help you create a healthy home office environment.
Invest in a comfortable chair and ergonomic desk. This will help you stay comfortable while working long hours. Your choice of furniture is key as it can seriously hamper your physical and mental capacity to be active after a day of work.
Also, make sure your desk is the right height for you. You should be able to sit with your feet flat on the ground and your knees at a 90-degree angle. This will help you avoid back and neck pain. This is important for ergonomic safety.
Set up a home gym or designated space for working out. This will help you stay active and avoid sitting for long periods of time. Also, having gym equipment near your workspace just makes it so much easier to plan some exercise into your day. You can manage with just a few pieces of gym equipment and get a really nice workout. Of course, if you have the space from working in your garage you can get even more gym stuff.
Make sure your workspace is well-lit and ventilated. This will help you avoid eye strain and headaches. Lighting in your home office is really important. It helps you focus and stay fresh. If you sit in dim lights all day, your mental capacity for working out at the end of the day may be all gone.
Have easy access to drinks. Not sweet drinks but healthy drinks. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated. This will help your body function at its best.
The importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle while working from home
Health is much more than just staying fit and looking good. While you may be fearing gaining weight when working from home due to aesthetic reasons there are a lot of other different motivators to stay in shape.
First of all, you will be more productive. When you’re feeling your best, you’re able to work at your highest level. Eating nutritious meals, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep will help you stay focused and on task. That is why it is of no help if you slack on your well-being just because you are comfortable in your own home.
You can potentially save money. Staying healthy means you’re less likely to get sick, which means you won’t have to miss work. That means you will not miss out on potential income due to illness. In addition, maintaining a healthy lifestyle often costs less than treating chronic conditions later down the road. So rather take a proactive approach towards your health than try to catch up later down the line.
You’ll feel better mentally and emotionally. Taking care of yourself physically can lead to improved mental and emotional health. There are both pros and cons to working from home. One of the cons is feeling lonely and demotivated. By staying healthy you will find it easier to counter these negative emotions.
Conclusion: How to avoid gaining weight when working from home
In conclusion, for you to avoid gaining weight when working from home you need to be proactive. You need to balance the comforts of sitting in your office chair, working in your pajamas, and relaxing. If you fall into the trap of slumping all day it will get hard to stay healthy.
However, thinking of incidental exercise, maybe setting up a home gym, or finding a good home workout program can help you stay active. Combine that with healthy eating and drinking habits and you will soon dispose of your fears of gaining weight when working from home.
Rather, you may even end up in better shape than before turning your own home into your full- or part-time place of work.
