Are you working a full-time job, but you want to lose weight? Don’t worry! This guide is going to show you exactly how to lose weight while working full time and maintain a healthy weight in the process, even if you work 60 hours a week. We will use layman’s language and describe things step-by-step so that everyone can understand the same. 

How to Lose Weight While Working Full Time: The Challenges

Before we get into how hard it is to lose weight when you have a full-time job, let’s explore the reasons why:

Lack of time: You might not have much time to cook healthy meals or have enough free hours each day to exercise. We know it’s tempting to order takeout and collapse on the couch after a long day at work.

Sitting All Day: It’s no surprise that sitting at a desk for hours is one of the things that our bodies can’t handle. This is not going to burn many calories and it will lower your metabolism.

Stress Eating: The level of stress at your workplace can tempt you to snack on some unhealthy snacks. During stress, we tend to eat high-calorie comfort foods.

You Eat Irregularly: You might work a schedule with weird hours. This can throw off your body’s natural hunger signals.

Office Temptations: The office is one more place to possibly encounter tempting treats—donuts in the break room, candy left on a coworker’s desk.

Fatigue: You may be too tired to work out after work. It is difficult to summon up the energy to get your butt to the gym after a long ass day.

Failure to Plan Meals: You can quickly fall into the trap of fast food or even just convenience meals, which are often unhealthy without proper meal planning.

Few Healthy Food Choices: Your job may be based at a location where nutritious meals are harder to come by.

Culture of the Workplace: Some workplaces have a culture of unhealthy eating, such as many pizza parties or frequent happy hours.

The Problem: Long commutes can swallow the time you normally use for exercise or meal preparation.

But don’t worry! Sure, it could still be hard, but you could reduce weight. That might take a little work and prep, but very doable. Let’s learn how!

Setting Goals You Can Reach

When you are about to start your weight loss journey, setting some realistic goals is the most significant part of this. If you’re looking to lose weight, the experts say 1-2 pounds per week is a healthy goal. Yes, this takes longer to appear — but it is healthier and you are more likely to keep the weight off.

Here’s how to set good goals:

Make it Specific: Instead of saying, “I want to lose weight,”  say, “15 pounds.” You now have a very defined target to hit.

Measurable: Use a scale or measuring tape to keep track of your progress. That could mean monitoring how your clothes fit or timing how fast you can run.

Realistic: You’re never going to lose 30 pounds in a month (hear me?!). In other words, small changes over time are likely to stick.

Specific: Lose 15 pounds by taking at most 3-4 months more time to reach your goal. It keeps you focused and motivated.

Record Your Goals: In your notebook or on the tapped notes in your phone. This makes them more realistic and more memorable.

Divide and Conquer: if you have a goal of losing 20 lbs, plant 4 mini goals for every 5 lbs. Because of this, the big goal feels less daunting and intimidating.

Make It Positive: Rather than “I want to not be fat,” turn that around with “I want to feel strong and healthy.” Negative goals are less motivating.

Remember, weight loss is more than the number on the scale. Perhaps you have more energy, sleep better, or can run faster, so it is important to be patient. These are all fabulous signs that you are getting healthier.

Some great weight loss goals include:

• So, you know, you may have one goal at a time or two that runs throughout the year, but I highly recommend not trying to go from zero to 60 and change every single aspect of your life at once—it’s just not going to happen. And so a smart goal would be this type of thing, when targeting something specific with an end in mind: “I want to lose weight.” OK, how much weight?

• Additionally, for once (I hope only for once), I just made something like this stupid goal. Also, I will do 10k steps every day for a whole month.

• I wish to complete a 5K race in 3 months.

Five healthy home-cooked meals per week will replace takeout from now on.

Healthy Eating When Busy

Everyone knows that proper nutrition is a vital part of weight loss, but it can be difficult to accept as true—especially with how fast we all move. The following are some means to assist you in eating healthy amidst a tight schedule:

Planning Your Meals

Meal prep is the gold standard when it comes to eating healthy as a busy person. Here are some tips:

Post a weekend: Use weekends for meal prep across the week, which saves time for busy weekdays.

Batch Cooking: Cook large batches of food and portion out for other days. So you always have a healthy meal prepped.

Invest in Smart Storage: Buy accommodating containers to store your cooked meals. Find ones that can be put in a microwave and are leakproof.

Variety Of Meal: Be sure to include a variety of meals in your meal planning so when its time to eat you have something new and fun every night. This is something that allows you to keep following a healthy diet.

Meal Plan: Determine your grocery list This makes it easier to avoid purchasing unhealthy impulse items.

Fast and Good-for-You Recipes: Get easy, healthful recipes that are also quick to prepare. If you do a quick Google search, there are so many 15 minute meal ideas to find.

Prep Ingredients: Wash and Chop Veggies in Advance to Make Them Meal Ready for the Week

Freezer Meals: Make meals that can be frozen. For duper-crazy days, you can reheat one of these bad boys.

Balanced Meals

Strive to get one of each of these in every meal:

Proteins: Chicken or fish or beans or eggs or Tofu. Protein is satiating (tells your body you are full) and keeps the muscle in check.

Complex Carbs: Brown Rice, Whole Wheat Bread, Sweet Potatoes They provide you with energy and fiber.

Good Fats: Good fats like avocado, nuts, seeds or olive oil. They also help you state things and have a positive impact on the heart.

Vegetables: The more colorful, the better! Vegetables contain plenty of vitamins and minerals.

Fruits: Fruits are great natural desserts or snacks. They are not only sweet treats but also full of nutrients.

A meal split up by protein, carb and veggie is a grilled chicken breast with roasted sweet potato and fat (almonds) eaten post-workout plus extra veggies.

Smart Snacking

Smart Swops replaces your usual crisps and chocolate with healthier snacks such as carrot sticks or apple slices.

Fresh Produce: Apples, baby carrots or posted slices of cucumbers are simple munching snacks.

Greek yogurt with berries: One way to ensure you have a source of protein and some natural sweetness is with a dish like Greek yogurt with berries.

Carrot sticks or whole-grain crackers with hummus: A good way to make a tasty veggies in your plan, good for you!

Hard-boiled eggs: Perfect! Make ahead and load with protein.

A small palmful of nuts: Great options are almonds, walnuts or pistachios.

Unbuttered Air-popped popcorn: A whole-grain, low-cal snack.

Cheese and whole grain crackers: A balance of protein and complex carbs.

Edamame: This form of soybeans consists of protein and fiber.

Chickpeas, roasted: Crunchy, fun, and high fiber.

Smoothies: Combine fruits, veggies and some Greek yogurt and turn them into a drink.

Store healthy snacks on your desk or bag for whenever you feel tempted by a vending machine impulse purchase.

Drink More Water

This drinking water is a super important thing to reduce the weight and keep healthy. It can leave you feeling more satisfied, raise your metabolism, and keep you from getting dehydrated. Aim to drink at least 8 glasses per day. I share a couple of different tips to help you drink more water!

Keep a water bottle in your desk: Your desk is an excellent place to store a water bottle, so that you can easily take sips throughout the day from your water source.

Set Reminders: Let your phone or computer remind you regularly to drink a glass of water.

Sip on Flavor Labeled Water: Put slices of lemon, lime, cucumber and or berries in your water to spin-doctor a taste boost.

Substitute Sugary Drinks: Choose water instead of soda or juice. This will save you tons of calories.

Well, as you might expect, water fills the stomach like most liquids and makes us eat less.

Straw: For others, using a straw may motivate you to drink more.

Keep Track of Your Intake: Whether a label on your water bottle or app on your phone, make sure to know how much fluid you are drinking.

Water-Rich Foods: Watermelon, cucumbers and zucchini can keep you hydrated as well.

Just a reminder: if you pee is light yellow, you are likely hydrated. Anything past a dark yellow and you need to drink more water!!!

Working Out When You Are Crunched For Time

You can sneak exercise into your max fit schedule. You don’t need hours to work out. Ways to make time for physical activity include:

1. Stairs: If you can take stairs instead of the elevator. It’s a fabulous workout for anyone with the will to do it.

2. Bike or Walk to Work: if you are able, get in some active transportation. It’s a stay active/easy transportation double-win!

3. HIIT Workouts: HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training, which will do a lot in a short amount of time. Here is an example of how you can coil together a decent HIIT workout in 20 minutes.

4. Walks On Your Lunch Break: When you take your lunch, just go for a walk. Find something to go outside, get some fresh air and move your ass.

5. Desk exercise: Simple workouts like leg lifts, arm circles, or seated crunches at your desk.

6. Walking Meetings: When possible, schedule walking meetings instead of sitting in a conference room.

7. Commercial Break Workouts: We all watch TV and if you take the time to watch your favorite show, do a quick exercise during commercial breaks like jumping jacks or push-ups.

8. Plan weekend activities: Make sure to plan physical activities on the weekends, such as hiking, swimming or playing sports with friends.

9. Exercise Videos: Work out at home with these short exercise videos. There are plenty of free resources available online because of this.

10. Park further away: The next tip is to park your car further when you go shopping or when you go to work; try to walk on the footpaths.

Any movement is better than no movement! Short little bursts of activity here and there throughout the day add up to something big.

A good example of a 20-minute HIIT workout you can do at home:

• Jog in place or do jumping jacks for 2 minutes of a warm-up
• 30 seconds of high knees
• 30 seconds of rest
• 30 seconds of push-ups
• 30 seconds of rest
• 30 seconds of squats
• 30 seconds of rest
• 30 seconds mountain climbers
• 30 seconds of rest
• Repeat this circuit 3 times
• 2 Minute Cooldown and Stretch

Getting Enough Sleep

Sleeping well is also critical to losing weight. When you are tired (usually because of a lack deep sleep), your body produces more of a hormone called ghrelin, leaving you feeling hungrier. At the same time, it makes too little of a hormone called leptin that is responsible for satisfying feelings, which can lead to overeating and weight gain.

A good goal is to get 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Want to Get More Sleep?

Turn in: And get up at the same time as every other day—weekends too. These light-dark signals help to set your body’s internal clock.

Establish A Bedtime Routine: Engage in soothing activities at night, like sitting down to read a book or taking a nice hot bath. This tells your body it is time to sleep.

Get Your Bedroom Ready for Sleep: Keep your bedroom in complete darkness, silence and cold. Ensure that your room is blacked out with curtains and perhaps invest in a white noise machine if you live near a busy road.

Screen Time: Turn off the phone (and the tablet, and the computer!), at least an hour before bedtime. The blue light may play a role in keeping you awake, making it hard to sleep.

Control Your Diet: Do not drink caffeine in the afternoon or night. And, avoid eating large meals near bedtime.

Regular exercise: Regular physical activity can promote better sleep, but avoid exercising too close to bedtime; it may interfere with your ability to fall asleep.

Deal With Stress: To prepare your head for bed and rid it of the stress, jot down any issues that you believe in.

Get Cozy Bedding: Buy some comfortable mattresses and bedding and sleep well. Your level of comfort can affect how well you sleep.

Keep naps short and not too late in the day: If you can’t get high-quality sleep at night, opt for a brief nap (20-30 min) rather than a long one.

Sun Light: Do your best to catch some sun throughout the day. This helps maintain a healthy sleep-wake cycle.

Researchers also note that the role of sleep in weight loss and health is just as potent as diet and exercise-where we go to bed late, wake up early, do our exercises etc.

Managing Stress

Work stress can affect your ability to lose weight. When we are stressed out, our body produce this hormone called cortisol. Cortisol, in high levels, increases our appetite and demand for unhealthy junk and calorific food items. But also, when stressed we may not have the energy or the motivation to be exercising and cooking nutritious meals.

Some stress-busting ideas:

Practice Deep Breathing: If you feel stressed, just enjoy some deep breaths. Slow breath for 4, hold breath for 4 and slowly exhale on your mouth for 5 counts. Repeat this several times.

Meditation or Mindfulness: Even 5–10 minutes of meditation can lower your stress. Free apps meditate you through small steps.

When you work out on a regular basis: Exercise is a good stress reliever. You release endorphins, happy chemicals in your brain. Even a short walk can help.

Talk through your feelings with friends, family or a therapist. Simply stating, even just to yourself, how stressed you are can be a good way to reduce stress.

Break Up Your Day: With mini breaks throughout the day to either stretch, take a walk or just close your eyes and do nothing for a few minutes.

Practice yoga: Yoga is a powerful combination of physical activity with mindfulness and an excellent way to reduce stress.

Organize thyself: Do you ever read that you just glance a postman at your door and drop the letter at the gate? Organize a to-do list and prioritize your tasks for a better sense of manageability.

Give Your Caffeine: An excess of caffeine may get you feeling like a jittery, anxious lunatic. Work on it, particularly in the late afternoon and evening.

Pleasurable Hobbies: Dedicate some time to things you really love doing, like reading, gardening, painting or playing music etc.

Find humor: watching a funny video or people that make you laugh. But arguably most important of all, laughter is the best medicine.

Experiment with aromatherapy: some scents, such as lavender, may have a stress-reducing effect. To experience your room while working, try essential oils or scented candles.

Get Grateful: Every Day List Three Things You Are Grateful For. It will allow you to the shift perspective away from having so much that blindsides you in stress and look at the brighter things in your life.

Do not forget that stress management plays a young part in your health and so contributes to more ease when it comes to weight loss.

Mindful Eating

Practicing mindful eating is when you pay attention to your food and how you feel when consuming it. The idea is to eat when you are hungry and stop when you feel full. This may help you avoid eating too much and can also make meals more fulfilling. How to eat mindfully

Avoid distraction eating: Switch off the TV and keep your phone away. Focus on your meal.

Chew Properly: Chew your food slowly. This aids digestion and helps you taste what you are eating.

Tap into all senses: See the colors, smells, feel textures and flavors in your food.

You should eat when you are hungry and stop when you are satisfied. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to register that you are full, so eat slowly.

Smaller plates can help prevent overeating and make your plate appear fuller with less food.

Remember your food: Think about the source of your food and the work that was required to make it.

Sit Down To Eat: Try to stop eating while you are standing up or out of the cabinet. Knowing this, you can also make your meals an event—put your phone down and sit down.

Chew More: This can help you to enjoy your meal more and actually take longer with the same amount of food.

Hold the Fort Down: Place your fork at the origin point between bites. This, in turn, naturally slows down how quickly we eat.

Mid-Meal Check: Halfway through your meal, stop and ask yourself how full you are. You might not have to clean all of your plate.

Not Eating from Packages: Snacking directly out of a bag or box, portion your snacks instead.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

It can be tough for a full-timer to carve out time to lose weight, but it is obviously possible. Key takeaways to keep in mind while working on your weight loss goals.

Allow Yourself to Get Used to It: Losing weight is a slow process. There might not be results for days or weeks, do not get discouraged. Sustainable weight loss is a journey, not an overnight fix.

Pat yourself on the back: Like, did you go with just a salad for lunch as opposed to fast food? Have you been using the stairs all week? Celebrate these small wins. And they eventually culminate in huge changes.

It is not All of Nothing: If you eat one unhealthy meal or skip your workout, do not think the whole day is shot. So, you made one bad decision—it does not erase all your good work. Simply recover at the next mealtime or the next day.

Do what works for you: Everyone is different. The most effective weight loss plan is one that you can commit to long-term. There is nothing wrong with taking steps back if you realize it’s not working for you.

Health is more than a number: In addition to thinking of health as more than just a number on a bathroom scale, also consider that the number on the scale is one but not the only marker of progress. Pay attention to the way your clothes fit, how you feel and the surge of energy that comes.

Lose it for life: The goal is not only to lose weight now but also to make these changes to a new lifestyle. This is a way of life, not a short-term diet.

Support matters: Let your friends, family, or colleagues know about your plans to support you. You can think about joining a weight loss team or subscribing to arrive over the internet as motivation to get rid of pounds.

Further education: As an ever-changing field, the science behind nutrition is always evolving. Be curious and open-minded about your health.

Be good to yourself: Badmouthing and more persecution help no one. Instead, try comforting yourself the way you would comfort a friend.

Remind Yourself Why You Started: Even the most positive people will have days where it is tough, and they need to remember what made them do this from the start. For health, energy, confidence or whatever the reason is, remember your ‘why’.

Respect yourself for at least making an attempt to improve your health and wellness as you manage a demanding career. It’s not necessarily easy, but it sure as hell is worth it. Each baby step is taking you closer to your dreams.

Even a rigorous job does not have to prevent you from making positive changes in your life. Commit to this, be patient with yourself and continue moving forward. You’ve got this!

If you can do this and keep in mind that if you are fat with a full-time job, there is no way it’s too hard for you to go back and add in the track here and then improve upon stuff. You will lose weight while doing well at work. Here is to Very Healthy, Very Soon.