Guys with desk jobs looking to shed some pounds

I'm 5'10", 174.5, and I am looking to lose some weight.  Unfortunately, I am stuck in front of a computer every day, so it is hard for me to fit in a ton of exercise.  Therefore, I'm going to start calorie counting, even though it really doesn't come naturally to me.

If anyone else is in a similar boat, I'd love to hear your stories.

Thanks!

If you can try a yoga ball to sit on at work.  Balancing on one all day or even for an hour each day will help a lot to stregthen your core.

My BF works in an office but has found ways to get some exercise in during the day.  He takes the stairs instead of the elevator and he tries to take a walk on his lunch hour.  He might walk for 20 minutes of his lunch hour.  You might want to get a pedometer, that way you can see how many steps you take a day.  I have one and when I use it I find myself trying to beat the number I walked the day before, kind of a competition with myself.

As for the calorie counting, it's kinda hard at first but after a few days of logging things you will get use to it.  I eat a lot of popcorn cuz it's low in calories and fills you up. 

You can do this!  One day at a time.  Don't beat yourself up if you splurge, tomorrow is another day.

I work in an office, and get decent exercise in...

Bar the stairs mentioned above, I will do 20 lunges on every visit to the toilet.

Every little helps ;)

Isn't 174.5lbs alright at that height?

I'm on the 23rd floor, so I think I might get my dress clothes a little sweaty if I start the day with that climb...  But I like the lunges on the way to the restroom idea!

And I will consider a yoga ball, although I do worry about the teasing that might result.

Roj47, 174.5 is alright (although my BMI is technically 'slightly overweight'), but I just have some flab around the waist that I want to get rid of, and I worry that if I don't lose it now, it's not going to get any easier to lose...

Popcorn, huh?  are there any microwavable kinds that are relatively healthy?  I usually just snack on apples and baby carrots at work.

I also had the office job weight gain.  I'm 6'2" and start out at 219.  I'm down to 187 now and feel a LOT better.  I go to the gym at least 3 days a week and count my calories here.  I also just started riding my bike to the gym in the morning, showering at the gym after my workout, then riding the mile to work (not enough to get me too sweaty).

I started off with a BMI 28.1 (moderately overweight) of and now I'm at 24.0 (healthy).

Hi Andrew!

I've been down this road a few times, and it's always the same thing that trips me up - too busy at the office to find time to exercise and too little time to pack a healthy lunch.  So, for too long, it was fast food for breakfast, fast food for lunch, frozen entrees for dinner and 10 hours a day in front of a computer.  I'm 6', and by April of this year, my weight had crept up to 229 pounds!

Just for the month of May, I decided that I would average 1,500 calories per day (I actually keep a running tally so that I don't get all worked up over a few calories over or under, as long as the average for the month is within reason).  I also built in cheat dinners on the 15th and the 31st, and committed to drinking at least 100 fl oz of water ever day.  Plus, I determined that I would walk a total of 200 kilometres over the course of the month.  At the end of the month I'd assess the results and go from there.

Well, I started getting up at 6:00 AM instead of 7:30, walked a minimum of 6 kilometres first thing every day, ate a good breakfast, packed a healthy lunch and planned a balanced dinner.  I hoped to lose 10 pounds - when I weighed in on the 31st, I'd dropped 15!

Needless to say, I've decided to try it for another month - I'm really enjoying my morning walks, feeling and looking better.  I've increased my daily calorie allowance to 1,600 as per CC's advice, and will let you know the results when I weigh in on the 15th!      &nbs p; 

wow, that's impressive, splitrail...  1500 isn't many calories!

I checked my BMI today, based on the recent loss of a pound or two, and it's now 24.5 (healthy weight), but just barely.  I have a feeling that it's a little generous.

So how much does the 100 oz of water help?  Just appetite-wise, or other benefits as well?

I have decided to train for a race in August, so I think I will be running 2-3 times (at least) each week, which should help with weight loss as well...

I have the same problem- full time behind a desk and I enjoy sedentary actiitivies like reading and playing on my computer too which doesn't help.  Here's what I 've decided to do.. I usually take a bus home so I decided that whenever possible I'll only take the bus halfway and walk 40 min the rest of the way to get home. 

I only 1250 calories! I HATE salad and most veggies, so you can imagine that's a bit of a struggle for me.  Also, I don't really have the inclination not the spare time to prepare healthy choices.  If I can't grab it and go then there's just no point in fact. 

Water and tea helps alot though. I think most of the time when I feel hungry when i wake up in the morning i must be actually thirsty because when I get up at 5am if I drink water, I'm not hungry until 7am when i get to work.

I have something small (today was once slice of raisin bread) to hold me to break-that's when I have my tea.  I eat a wieght watcher's tv dinner for lunch with some water plus another small snack on break.

Once I get home I count cals-before dinner.  That way I can decide what I'm allowed to eat for supper.

I suppose that the water does help to keep me full - I can truthfully say that I'm almost never hungry!  The main reason that I drink lots of water is because my fibre intake is fairly high, and I find that I'm actually that thirsty!

I have the same problem. Lots of sitting and eating while typing. I had to make a change as 40 is creeping up next year and I just kept getting chubbier. I am 5' 11" and was 258 on March 1st. I am now 222 and still going (my goal is 190).

I am counting calories religiously (almost a little obsessively) and working out every day for at least 50 minutes. I have to be at work at around 7:30 am so I get up really early to go to the gym. It is not easy but it has been worth it.

I know you don't have the same weight loss goals as I do but you can trim up by getting out to the gym before work and being smarter about what you eat. Counting calories makes you very aware of what you are putting in your mouth. I am often asking myself is that cookie worth it.

Good luck!

Some great tips from trainer Bob Harper:

http://officeworkout.msn.com/

Yes the Bob video's came in handy for me!  There is one you do from your chair for your mid-section... and OH MY it works!   My stomach lost an inch in doing it twice (10 reps) every other day.  I couldn't believe it!   There are some other good things on there also!  I'm really liking the stretch bands right now.  I tie them around my thigh/knee area and I can exercise while I type!  Or put them around the ankles too.  There are TONS of things you can do with them.  So I have committed to 5 minutes of them every other hour.    But check out those video's and see if any of them could work for you!   

And if someone teases you about the ball.... just remind them that it's more comfortable than the computer chair!  :)

I have a co-worker who sits on an exercise ball, and my boss raised his computer so he can stand all day.  I think at this point I'm the only one in my department still using a chair!  They were teased at first, but all in good fun, and they absolutely swear by it for back problems.

Getting a desk job was the root to my weight gain!! Evil, evil haha!

I try to run up the stairs (no-one can see me luckily!) & I'm a natural fidgit, so I tend to move around alot of my chair anyway. I read on here people have those pedal machines for under the desks.. I've also walked home before, or as previous commenter has mentioned. I catch a bus and get off a stop or two before so I can walk a bit further. All adds up, I hope :)

But I do have a question, if anyone knows would be great.... I went into activity log, and it there is one for light office work. Do people log this? I had, and it gave me 821 cals burned throughout my working day. That to me sounds alot. Am I right to log it into my daily exercise?? 

I work an office job, and I just recently shedded 35lb off my body within the past 4 months! I was forced to go on a low fat diet because of my cholesterol, so I added the diet to my morning exercise.  Look at me now! Only 2 more months before I can retest.

Calorie Count was a great tool to help me track, plan, and strategize what I eat.

Hi Andrew,

I have the same situation as you.  I ran track and played baseball in high school, was in great shape, and after getting a desk job after college, the pounds piled on quick.  It got to be a lifestyle that I kept for 10+ years.  I stumbled upon CC a year ago and thought I'd try it for a week to see if I liked it.  A year later and in maintenance mode, I'm still logging my meals out of habit!  Having access to a computer 24/7 doesn't hurt the logging part.

With a full-time job, graduate school, and four kids, I don't have much time for exercise either.  What I did was incorporate exercise into work that I had to do anyway.  Splitting wood, washing the cars by hand instead of taking them somewhere, parking far away so I had to walk further at work... every little bit helps!  I did P90X from DEC-FEB, but your food intake is still the driving force.  I also incorporated exercise into my FUN activities, like playing basketball with the kids, going for bicycle rides with friends, etc.

Good luck!

yep. I got a office job. I work on the 3rd floor but occasional breaks where I walk ablock here and there and also take the stairs. I also tend to workout everyday 7 days a week. It is always a mix of cardio/Weightlifting and Calisthitics. I am losing the weight and gaining muscle, getting much leaner. I have been doing this for the past 4 months. I know how you feel though. Sitting and typing away all day like I am now. 

Hey about that working on the 23rd floor thing.....how about using the rest room on the 20th? I recently just moved from an office where I worked on the 25th and I frequented the rest rooms on the 28th(top) and the 22nd and 23rd. If you drink tons of water like I do that can be quite a few sets of stairs in one day. When you go out at lunch time and the end of the day, take the stairs down it really isn't too bad going down.  (Now I work on the 5th floor and I never take the elevator)

I work in an office too and keep pretty crazy hours so I can't fit in much exercise either but what I do is I cycle to work (40 minutes one way)  instead of taking the bus,  and if I can't cycle then I get out 3 bus stops earlier and walk the rest. On weekends I fit in an hour at the dirt park if I can and if not then I just go for a bike ride.