40 percent of workers have gained weight since starting their present job, according to a CareerBuilder.co.uk survey.
As summer approaches many people are preparing to get fit in time for beach holidays but they may come up against an unexpected obstacle; their jobs.
A new survey reveals that more than two in five workers (41%) admit they have gained weight at their current jobs, and 10 percent confess they have gained more than 10 pounds. Only 13 percent of workers claim they have lost weight since working at their current position.
“Work-related stress, lack of sleep and overly packed schedules can often get in the way of healthy eating and exercise habits,
Says Scott Helmes, managing director of CareerBuilder UK.
“Poor physical health, however, can also take a toll on mental health and work quality, so it’s important for workers to stay active, even if it just means taking small breaks throughout the day to walk around or stretch.”
Sedentary roles, exhaustion and time constraints can present obstacles to staying fit. When asked what they felt contributed to their expanding waistlines, workers gave the following reasons:
– Sitting at my desk most of the day – 58 percent
– Too tired from work to exercise – 38 percent
– No time to exercise before or after work – 34 percent
– Eating because of stress – 32 per cent
– The temptation of the office biscuit tin – 28 percent
– Having to skip meals because of time constraints – 18 percent
– Workplace celebrations – 16 percent
– Pressure to eat food co-workers bring in – 15 percent
– Eating out regularly – 13 percent
– Happy hours – 6 percent
Eating and exercise habits
Exercise is a key part of a healthy lifestyle but it may not be enough on its own to keep workers in shape. The majority of workers (69%) say they exercise regularly, and more than two in five (42%) claim they work out at least three days a week. Despite this 50 percent feel they are overweight.
The majority of workers (68%) say that their employers don’t provide gym passes, access to workout facilities or wellbeing benefits, which 41 percent claim they would use if it were available to them.
Snack foods and restaurants can also prove too alluring to workers, with 66 percent confessing to snacking at work and 47 percent admitting to regularly eating out rather than having a packed lunch.
5 Tips to maintain health and wellness at work
“Your job shouldn’t get in the way of maintaining a healthy lifestyle,” Helmes says. He offers the following tips to help even the busiest of workers maintain wellness while on the job:
- Put it on your calendar –Planning ahead and scheduling time for exercise the way you would a business meeting or conference call will make you more likely to prioritise it.
- Get moving –Add as much movement to your daily activities as possible: for instance, park further away, or get off the bus or train a stop earlier and walk the remaining distance. Consider taking the stairs instead of the lift, going for a walk during your lunch hour and walking over to someone’s desk instead of sending an email. These little things can add up.
- Stay away from fizzy drinks –Fizzy drinks contains lots of sugar and empty calories. Drink water flavored with cucumber, strawberries or lemon instead, or green tea for a caffeine boost.
- Pack a lunch– Bringing in lunch from home is an easy (and cost-effective) way to ensure you’re getting healthy ingredients and controlling your portion sizes.
- Keep healthy snacks on hand –Keep nutritious snacks like almonds, hummus, carrots and air-popped popcorn at your desk so you don’t have to rely on the vending machine or biscuit tin to curb hunger between meals.
Amie Filcher is an editorial assistant at HRreview.
