Let’s face it, less activity and more food usually leads to weight gain. Thousands of Americans are working from home temporarily during the 2020 pandemic. Many of us are enjoying sit-down dinners together and have more quality time to spend with family. Many gyms remain closed which is bad news for those that depend on them for providing exercise options. Three tips to avoid weight gain while working from home:
- Keep stepping: Don’t ditch your step count. You may not be able to log 10,000 steps per day but don’t give up on accruing and setting goals for daily steps. Adjust your goal to make it more realistic. Accrue steps inside your home, outside and around the neighborhood. Consider taking 10 minute ‘walking breaks’ throughout the workday. Check out fitness apps that make working out from home a solid option.
- Have kitchen hours: If you were working in the office, would you frequent the cafeteria throughout the day? Probably not. Wandering in the kitchen out of boredom leads to mindless snacking. Have set mealtimes and limit trips to the kitchen between meals (exception: water). If you like snacking, plan and prepare low-calorie snacks for long stretches between meals.
- Weekly weigh-ins: Gaining weight in small increments creeps up on you and, if you aren’t paying attention, pounds can add up quickly. Most of us are working from home in comfortable clothes, not form fitting work clothes. Weighing yourself weekly can keep you honest. Body weight fluctuates so have a ‘weight window.’ For example, if you feel your best at 150 lbs aim to keep that window between 150 and 154 lbs. If it hits 153 lbs, it’s time to practice portion control and increase activity.
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