How To Lose Weight With A Cubicle Job

It may never have occurred to you that having a cubicle job could help you lose weight. Working for eight hours a day can sap you of energy, and if you’re too tired at the end of your shift to hit the gym, then you’ll just be perpetuating the cycle of wanting to lose weight and never getting around to it. Instead of regarding your work space as a limitation, use it to help you in your goal to lose weight and become healthier. Employ the furniture, the walls and even your co-workers to help you lose weight.

Step 1

Don’t just sit there. Those blah-colored fabric walls you’re surrounded by contain the perfect little gym. Use your desk as a support for pushups and your chair for a round of triceps dips. Your desk chair can also act as a platform for isometric toning exercises and ab workouts. Read up on yoga toning and strengthening moves that you can perform for a few minutes every hour. Just grab onto the cubicle wall for support during the balancing poses, and your yoga studio is no longer three hours or three miles away. Walk the long way around when you have to leave for a restroom break, and take every opportunity to use the stairs at work. Losing weight with a cubicle job means taking every opportunity to work in a fitness routine — without letting your work suffer, of course.

Step 2

Convert your cubicle into motivation central. Choose quotes or pictures that are meaningful to you and spur you on, and pin them to the walls. Take a few seconds to read your inspiring messages to yourself and soak up the excitement every time you glance up. Losing weight is two parts physical — eating healthier and working out — and one part mental. Surround yourself with reminders of what you’re trying to achieve. Keep a journal at your desk and take a few minutes at the end of the day to record your achievements.

Step 3

Create a support group at work. Gather a bunch of like-minded co-workers together and talk about how best to use your breaks during work to get and stay fit. Form a walking group and use 30 minutes of your lunch hour to take several laps around the building. Split up into faster and slower groups so that nobody gets frustrated and wants to quit if some of you are further along in your bid to lose weight. Take 15 minutes once a week at the end of your walk to catch up and compare notes.

Tips and Warnings

Make this a weeklong commitment to yourself. Your cubicle is not going away, but your extra weight can if you spend your time at work wisely. Use any opportunity to exercise, and remember to bring a healthy lunch and snacks to keep you fueled.