Work Habits That Make Us Gain Weight

All too often, we skip notice of our actions that are seriously harming our body. This is especially true when it comes to work because most of us are busy multitasking, trying to reach tough deadlines. Certain work habits can make us gain unhealthy extra calories, leading to sagging bellies and frustration. Being overweight or obese has been shown to increase our chances of acquiring heart diseases, diabetes and even liver problems.

Surprisingly, it is not the occasional overindulges in burgers or extra ice creams that make us fat but instead, the day-to-day bad choices that we don't notice ourselves making. Fortunately, with some simple lifestyle changes, you can prevent yourself from falling into the fat-trap. Here are 6 work habits that you can change to lead a healthier and happier life.

1. Sitting for too long

Your chair may just well be your biggest enemy. According to Career builder survey, employees rated sitting for too long as the number one reason for their increasing weight. The long sedentary hours, 67 on an average in a week that you spend sitting mean that your body gets no exercise at all, slowing down your metabolism. Even a 2 minute walk, as per research by Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology can improve your blood circulation and nullify the effects of sitting for too long.

Also read speed up your metabolism using these tips.

2. Skipping Meals

Not having a meal a t the required time can put your body into the prime fat-storage mode, boosting your hunger. According to the American Journal of Epidemiology, people who skip breakfast are 4.5 times more likely to be obese than people who had a proper morning meal. Breakfast is also important to kick start your metabolism speedily. Not just this, unhealthy meal options like eating from take-out boxes or ordering delivery are equally responsible for your fat. One British study points that exposure to takeout joints at work can make you twice as likely to be obese.

3. Late night shifts

Working till late harms your body in two serious ways. First, it means that you are getting less sleep. In a 2013 University of Pennsylvania study, adults who got only four hours of shuteye a night for five nights in a row gained more weight than those who got eight hours thus burning more calories with resting. Second, it means that you overeat. A study in the journal Nutrition Research found that people whose last meal was closest to bedtime took in more calories overall throughout the day than those who gave their bodies time to recover before heading off to bed.

4. Drinking from plastic bottles

At work, most of us carry or are provided with plastic bottles. These bottles contain bisphenol A, commonly referred to as BPA, which can negatively impact fertility in both men and women and has also been been linked to obesity. A Harvard Study found in 2011 that adults with the highest concentration of BPA in their urine had significantly larger waists and chance of being obese than those in the lowest quartile. Another problem related with water and obesity is drinking less of it. Dehydration often causes fatigue, a feeling that people often mistake as hunger, and so overeat. A study published in the magazine Obesity in 2008 even shows positive effects of drinking water on weight loss.

5. Staying away from sunlight

It is important that you get close to a window in your office now. Sunlight, according to research is a powerful weapon against obesity. This is because natural light helps in regulating your body's circadian rhythm, which maintains an efficient use of energy throughout the day. As proof, a 2014 Northwestern University study found that exposure to the sun was associated with BMI, and that getting bright light in the morning hours seemed to have a slimming effect. So it is highly recommended that you walk to your office or at least make an effort to not stay indoors throughout your office hours.

6. Eating too quickly

Even if we don't admit, most of us gobble down our food in less than 15 minutes. Unfortunately, our stomach takes 20 whole minutes to signal to our brain that we are full after a meal. So this delay can make us eat despite actually being full. As per a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, slow eaters take in 66 fewer calories per meal, compared to their fast-eating peers, and they also feel like they have eaten more. This mean that if you eat slow, you will actually eat one-third less than normal, avoiding unhealthy weight gain.

A majority of our habits that increase our weight can be easily changed. Distracted eating, too much stress at work and unhealthy co-workers can have significant effects on your lifestyle, often showing as unwanted fat on your body. You only need to realize most of these habits to change them.