Keeping Weight Off In Office Jobs

Survey Shows It's Hard To Do; Expert Offers Tips To Stay Slim

(CBS)  So, says Pire, we need to make up for the inactivity with as much movement as possible, both before and after work, and as best we can during the workday.

That means walking up a couple of flights of stairs to your office when your day starts. If you're on a high floor, you don't need to walk up all the way. Consider taking the elevator to, say, two floors below your office, then walking up the rest of the way.

If you drive to work, park a small distance away, so you have to walk a few minutes to get to the office.

If you take a bus, get off a stop or two before or after the stop that is closest.

And once at work, start walking again to see your colleagues face to face, rather than e-mailing, instant messaging or calling. Walk to see your colleagues, then to the copy machine, etc., so you move around a bit.

During lunch, walk to a place a block or two away instead of going to the company cafeteria or the place right next door to the office.

Or, instead of buying lunch, think of brown-bagging it. That way, you can control your portion sizes and the nutritional quality of the ingredients. After all, do you really know what the restaurant or deli is putting in the food? It may be very fattening.

From time to time, some people try to devise small exercises to do at their desks, such as finger pushups or jogging in place while on the phone. Those exercises have their place, but many workers ultimately shy away for fear of looking foolish to their coworkers.

Also, some companies supply gym facilities for their personnel. But workers can become self-conscious about the impression they are giving their bosses. For instance: If they spend time in the gym, they must not be working.

So, Pire says that measures such as additional walk for work purposes, and his dietary suggestions, are the ones that will pay off best.

He also says losing weight this way is a marathon, not a sprint. It won't happen immediately, but if you make a conscious effort, this added activity may be habit-forming, and ultimately beneficial.