Desk Work and Obesity: How Sedentary Jobs Contribute to Weight Gain
Mar 15, 2023
iCrowdMarketing powered by iCrowdNewswire
Nowadays, people sit more than ever before, and sitting has become a common body posture. Whether they are engaged in working, studying, or socializing, many people do it in a sedentary position. However, if a person’s workplace requires that the majority of time is spent in a chair, such conditions can cause serious changes in one’s body. Taking up a desk job is a big factor when it comes to gaining weight, so let’s take a look at some of the main reasons behind it:
Prolonged Sitting Supports Weight Gain
The human body was not built to spend day after day sitting in a chair. Instead, it was designed to be on the move, working against gravity. However, when you lead a sedentary lifestyle, the habit slows down the metabolic rate which is a measure of how efficiently the body uses the energy reserves that come from food. And the lower the metabolic rate goes, the more likely you are to start gaining pounds. On top of that, too much sitting can disrupt the protective mechanisms that safeguard your body from chronic diseases like metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, diabetes type 2, and others. Scientists even claim that cutting down the sitting time to less than two hours a day could increase your life expectancy by 1.38 years.
A Sedentary Lifestyle Weakens the Muscles
Sitting for long periods every day can weaken your muscles and also contribute to muscle mass loss. Unfortunately, many people don’t know that higher muscle mass has a role in increasing the mastic metabolic rate (BMR). Muscle cells burn more calories because the way they contact and relax requires energy. Therefore, even when you’re not moving, your muscle cells burn calories, and if you lose them due to a sedentary lifestyle, you will be more prone to gaining weight.
Using your muscles is one of the most important segments of a healthy lifestyle, and adding physical activity to your workweek is crucial. Whenever you can, try to stand more, move more, or jump on any opportunity for physical activity. If you’re already experiencing some discomfort that comes from prolonged sitting, try to do exercises that relieve lower back pain, or any other types of workouts that help revive and strengthen a particular body part. And if you work in an office that has a gym, spending just 30 minutes doing cardio or strength workouts can do wonders for your metabolic rate.
The Stress Factor
The combination of sitting for a long time and constantly stressing out about the different outcomes of your workday is a fatal one when it comes to weight gain. Stress is a dangerous factor that increases the production of cortisol which then supports the accumulation of fat, especially in the waist area. If your work hours are stressful and there isn’t much you can do about it, try to make the most out of your lunch break.
First, try to distance your mind from the burdening stresses that you will be coming back to after the break. Next, have a healthy, balanced meal, and do it away from your desk. If you eat a meal that is rich in protein, good fats, and complex carbs, your body will be energized, and it will be able to release some of the work-related stress it was exposed to.
It Leads to Other Unhealthy Habits
Spending too many hours attached to the desk often makes a person skip workouts and let the fatigue overrule, together with overeating and other unhealthy habits. Even though sedentary jobs are engaging and demanding, they also create a perfect ground for excessive snacking. And of course, the easily accessible snacks are usually cookies, pastries, and crackers which boost the daily calorie count without adding any actual health benefits. If you often find yourself in a situation like this one, try to replace processed snacks with fruits and veggies, and add proper hydration and regular walks to your schedule.
Taking up a sedentary job can significantly affect the odds of becoming obese, depending on the other habits that make up your day. If sitting for hours every single day is something you can’t avoid, supporting your lifestyle with healthy habits can reduce the negative effects.