Gaining weight happens to people for one simple reason. Consuming more calories than you use up, excess calories will then be stored and you will gain weight.
But the reason this process starts to happen in the first place is a lot less simple.
For me, a common reason people feel that they fall into the habit of inactivity and weight gain is down the lifestyle they live caused by their work and the job that they do. Those who work in an office environment, those who drive for a living or anyone who has a non active job can find it increasingly difficult to find ways to stay active therefore weight gain can happen quite quickly.
So here I have made a note of some of the problems you may face and hopefully some solutions that may help!
For lots of people their day at work is spent in a seated and still position doing very little in terms of activity. So do we really need our journey to work and from work to be exactly the same? Ask yourself if it’s possible to cycle or walk to work? If that is a genuine possibility and will fit in with your schedule why not give it a go? You will get a great calorie burning workout just by simply making your way to work!
If however your journey to work is too far or you don't have time and have to drive or take public transport there are still ways of being active during your commute. If you take the train or the bus, what's stopping you leaving a bit earlier in the morning and getting off at an earlier stop and walking the rest of the journey? The same applies with a car...why not park a bit further away from your place of work then walk/jog in? It will not only get your workout over and done with for the day meaning that once you are home you can forget about it, it will also set you up for the day making you start your day at work feeling great!
As I previously mentioned for many people the working day is spent doing very little activity but again there are things you can do. Even the small trips you make around the work place to the toilet, the water machine etc all add up as extra activity in an otherwise pretty inactive day. But there are bigger things you can do as well. Why not take the time during your break to go for a short walk? You could do this by choosing to get your lunch that is somewhere a bit further away than to where you usually go. Or if you do wish to get your lunch from a place close to where you work, why not try walking a longer route? Another option would be to take just 15-20 minutes to do a few laps of the car park!
Other things like using the stairs instead of lifts and walking up any escalators rather than remaining still are all other very simple and options and easy for most of us to do.
All of these things are small and easy changes that will make a huge difference to your health and your waist line!
Something that nearly all of us do...myself included...is start the day by going into a coffee shop and ordering a latte, mocha, cappuccino or some other kind of coffee...and for many this is something that is repeated time and time again throughout the day.
Depending on the type and size of the drink you order, it can be up to FIVE HUNDRED calories per drink which you then just sit on for the rest of the day! But there are ways of making it better for you whilst still letting you enjoy your morning treat. Try swapping full fat milk for semi skimmed or even skimmed milk. Straight away you can look at knocking off around 100 calories.
As we all know coffee also contains caffeine, which also acts as what is known as a diuretic. A diuretic can leave you dehydrated. Being properly hydrated ensures that your body has the proper environment for important functions to take place, namely metabolising fat for energy.
So if you are someone who drinks a lot of coffees throughout the working day it is even more important to make sure that you drink plenty of water. Dehydration will also leave you feeling unable to concentrate properly, leave you feeling tired and fatigued and you will find that you are more likely to get headaches. This is going to leave you less likely to make that gym visit or fitness class that you promised yourself you would go to after work. Also by feeling less tired, you are not going to be craving coffee as a "pick me up" meaning that you will be saving yourself from taking in more unnecessary calories. By drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated will also keep hunger pangs at bay meaning you are likely to eat less throughout your day.
So my tip would be to take a 1.5-2 litre bottle of water into work with you in the morning and take regular sips throughout the day, topping up from a tap or water cooler if and when you need to.
Last of all I want to talk about stress. We all get stressed because of work from time to time no matter what job we do. But for lots of people the daily grind can get too much and this will really take its toll on you. Chronic or continuous stress will make your levels of cortisol increase. This will lead to a slowdown in your metabolism. This means you are likely to gain weight even if your diet and activity level stays the same. Stress will also lead to cravings for fatty and sugary foods.
High levels of stress have also been linked to increased levels of abdominal fat. So try to make some time for yourself away from work. Try to take part in activates you enjoy with friends and family and only think about work when you are there, not in your leisure time. Try to participate in regular exercise and if it’s possible take part in a class such as Yoga or Pilates, this is a way of getting some space and calm.
These are just a few tips and ideas that you could use to make small steps to living a healthier and more active lifestyle. As always applies, if you have any questions or you would like to learn more about this blogs or any others I have written then please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Until my next blog!
But the reason this process starts to happen in the first place is a lot less simple.
For me, a common reason people feel that they fall into the habit of inactivity and weight gain is down the lifestyle they live caused by their work and the job that they do. Those who work in an office environment, those who drive for a living or anyone who has a non active job can find it increasingly difficult to find ways to stay active therefore weight gain can happen quite quickly.
So here I have made a note of some of the problems you may face and hopefully some solutions that may help!
For lots of people their day at work is spent in a seated and still position doing very little in terms of activity. So do we really need our journey to work and from work to be exactly the same? Ask yourself if it’s possible to cycle or walk to work? If that is a genuine possibility and will fit in with your schedule why not give it a go? You will get a great calorie burning workout just by simply making your way to work!
If however your journey to work is too far or you don't have time and have to drive or take public transport there are still ways of being active during your commute. If you take the train or the bus, what's stopping you leaving a bit earlier in the morning and getting off at an earlier stop and walking the rest of the journey? The same applies with a car...why not park a bit further away from your place of work then walk/jog in? It will not only get your workout over and done with for the day meaning that once you are home you can forget about it, it will also set you up for the day making you start your day at work feeling great!
As I previously mentioned for many people the working day is spent doing very little activity but again there are things you can do. Even the small trips you make around the work place to the toilet, the water machine etc all add up as extra activity in an otherwise pretty inactive day. But there are bigger things you can do as well. Why not take the time during your break to go for a short walk? You could do this by choosing to get your lunch that is somewhere a bit further away than to where you usually go. Or if you do wish to get your lunch from a place close to where you work, why not try walking a longer route? Another option would be to take just 15-20 minutes to do a few laps of the car park!
Other things like using the stairs instead of lifts and walking up any escalators rather than remaining still are all other very simple and options and easy for most of us to do.
All of these things are small and easy changes that will make a huge difference to your health and your waist line!
Something that nearly all of us do...myself included...is start the day by going into a coffee shop and ordering a latte, mocha, cappuccino or some other kind of coffee...and for many this is something that is repeated time and time again throughout the day.
Depending on the type and size of the drink you order, it can be up to FIVE HUNDRED calories per drink which you then just sit on for the rest of the day! But there are ways of making it better for you whilst still letting you enjoy your morning treat. Try swapping full fat milk for semi skimmed or even skimmed milk. Straight away you can look at knocking off around 100 calories.
As we all know coffee also contains caffeine, which also acts as what is known as a diuretic. A diuretic can leave you dehydrated. Being properly hydrated ensures that your body has the proper environment for important functions to take place, namely metabolising fat for energy.
So if you are someone who drinks a lot of coffees throughout the working day it is even more important to make sure that you drink plenty of water. Dehydration will also leave you feeling unable to concentrate properly, leave you feeling tired and fatigued and you will find that you are more likely to get headaches. This is going to leave you less likely to make that gym visit or fitness class that you promised yourself you would go to after work. Also by feeling less tired, you are not going to be craving coffee as a "pick me up" meaning that you will be saving yourself from taking in more unnecessary calories. By drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated will also keep hunger pangs at bay meaning you are likely to eat less throughout your day.
So my tip would be to take a 1.5-2 litre bottle of water into work with you in the morning and take regular sips throughout the day, topping up from a tap or water cooler if and when you need to.
Last of all I want to talk about stress. We all get stressed because of work from time to time no matter what job we do. But for lots of people the daily grind can get too much and this will really take its toll on you. Chronic or continuous stress will make your levels of cortisol increase. This will lead to a slowdown in your metabolism. This means you are likely to gain weight even if your diet and activity level stays the same. Stress will also lead to cravings for fatty and sugary foods.
High levels of stress have also been linked to increased levels of abdominal fat. So try to make some time for yourself away from work. Try to take part in activates you enjoy with friends and family and only think about work when you are there, not in your leisure time. Try to participate in regular exercise and if it’s possible take part in a class such as Yoga or Pilates, this is a way of getting some space and calm.
These are just a few tips and ideas that you could use to make small steps to living a healthier and more active lifestyle. As always applies, if you have any questions or you would like to learn more about this blogs or any others I have written then please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Until my next blog!
