WFH = weight gain

[Ms1235]

I've been working from home for the last 5 months and have gained a stone in weight.

Has WFH made you gain?

I find that I don't get dressed properly. As in I wear comfies as opposed to actual clothes, as im in the house.

So when I did get dressed properly, I noticed a lot of my clothes were tight or more snug, than I remember them being.

I think for me, it is easy to snack all day whilst at the desk.

I know I need to sort this, has anyone experienced the same problem?

Exactly this - got a wfh stone to shift now. Going to start factoring in a commute every day.
planning a run in the park every morning to get me moving

I've gone from around 9-9.7 and I'm up to 10.8. I'm 5foot 7

Yep, me too. The thing is, I actually eat much less when I work from home. I don't usually even eat until 3pm, sometimes just one meal a day (maybe that has something to do with it?) . I'm still bigger than I was though!

I definitely gained weight at first despite exercising daily as usual. Partly it was due to me working from the kitchen and eating more. But also from a lack of “micro movements “ which is basically us moving gently around during the day which I do less of.

I just stay away from snacks the same as I do in the office because otherwise I’d end up huge.

Glad I'm not the only one!

I was looking to get an under desk treadmill or bike peddler.

Has anyone got one?

Or do you prefer to actually take time to work out?

Fridge pickers wear big knickers and I found that I was snacking constantly when I started WFH. I put 10lb but I now do a 5k walk every morning before work and prep two smaller marks to eat during the day which has shifted it.

That's great! Well done. I've been tempted to lower my carbs and eat healthier meals.

Given that I don't need lots of carbs for sitting down!

I've got an under desk treadmill and a standing desk riser. It took a couple of days of adjusting to it, but now I've found at a slow pace I can work away without noticing I'm walking. I don't sit down at all while I'm working any more. I've got rid of my desk chair completely.

It's great in meetings , especially long ones where I'm mostly listening. I can just walk away. It found it actually improves my focus. I put my Fitbit on my ankle to track my steps and it's really surprising how far you can go.

I feel so much better. I don't think humans are meant to sit down all day! It's also nice to finish work and know I've already got a good bit of exercise in.

In combination with 3 x 30 minute strength workouts and cutting out crap I've lost a stone since the new year.

@Buggeroffalo can you link the one you for please? I barely move now WFH all the time

I love wfh but my waistline says otherwise.

I can't believe I've put on!

I'm going to look into desk exercise accessories.

I've gained weight since WFH, but I started the WFH as a physical disability was making it harder to continue in my more active job. So the WFH is only partly to blame for me becoming less active.

For me it's hard to change from activity just being part of daily life, like walking to work and being busy there, to consciously adding in exercise that suits my abilities and lifestyle. The same with eating, in previous jobs there was less opportunity to snack while working so it just wasn't an option, now I have to make a conscious choice not to eat biscuits while working.

This wouldn't be a problem for someone who had already got a healthy lifestyle. I was reading on another thread about WFH of a poster who loved it because she had basically replaced her commute with a lovely dog walk, morning and evening. So she had cut out a source of stress and probably increased her activity by WFH.

So I think if WFH suits you in other ways you have to find a way to make your lifestyle more healthy and build in exercise and boundaries to keep your eating under control.

I've had this problem too, OP.

For me, it's not the food, it's the movement.

When I worked in London I was doing a lot of standing, presenting at meetings, walking around the office, too and from the station.

My Fitbit would show burning around 2800 calories a day, sometimes more.

Now it's 2000-2200 on WFH day, max.

The movement really adds up.

I eat more junk when I'm in the office than at home. Our office is in a city centre and provides snacks and I'll get lunch at Greggs or something. At home I have more self control!

Yeah, the commute to the fridge is rather convenient plus I have a colleague who TEAMS me through the day for virtual “coffee breaks” where we eat cake.

Even a standing desk will help. It's not just about weight it's the core and stabiliser strength. My arse got a lot wider and flatter working from home even if I didn't put weight on.

It’s silly for me really as I have so much more time to do exercise. My work is flexible, so I try and do a run after nursery drop off depending on my meeting schedule, then yoga at 1730 before the family get back home. I have so much more time to exercise, yet I struggle! I probably eat less at work and definitely move more in the office (toilet breaks, coffee breaks, walk out to get lunch). I don’t have a long commute, but it all adds up.

Also I’m getting older so my metabolism isn’t what it used to be and I need to cut down on my portion sizes.

I’m not having anywhere near as many after work drinks though, so that’s something!!

It has all gone to my hips and stomach. I hate it and I'm just shocked I can't get into some clothes!

Yes, that's fair enough, especially what you're saying about the comfy clothes.
But I think you just need to adjust. Yes, when you commute, or you need to walk through a big office to get coffee or go to the toilet you move more. But by saving the commute time, you can also exercise in the time you would spend with commuting. Also when you are home, you can more easily whip together something healthy because you're not relying on what's available around your workplace. So yeah, you just need to adjust to a different routine.

Yes.

On an office day, I do 10,000 steps easily, at home 3,000

I also tend to cook myself a larger lunch at home than I would take into the office

I am trying now to:

be more conscious of my lunches
do a video workout in my lunch break
for "listening" meetings to go for a walk and dial in from my phone

I eat less at home, however I barely move I basically go from the dining room table to the sofa. Trying hard to work a walk into my day at the minute.

Oh yes for sure. I was definitely doing over 10k steps daily.

I always took my own meals. Never bought anything from the take outs on the way there, or on the way home.

I just can't believe I hadn't noticed this gain sooner

Definitely gained weight since I started WFH in 2020. I’m blaming no-one but myself though! It’s just general boredom and opportunity tbh. In the office I’d be too embarrassed to scoff two packets of crisps having just eaten lunch, at home I’m fine 🙂 I’ve just started to try and get the weight off and it’s a slow slog. I need to lose 2 stone and have lost 4lbs in the last month 😥

@Ms1235 this is the one I have. It only goes up to a fast walking pace, so not for running

I definitely struggle to prioritise exercise for myself - there is always a chore to be done. Using this treadmill while I work has given me time back. I'm much stronger than I was 6 weeks ago, and it's not a massive effort to do iykwim - I don't need to get changed into sports stuff, or drive anywhere or do extra washing. It's just pop my trainers on and go. Its also reduced the desire to snack.