5 Vegan tips to lose weight at work

Even though your vegan diet promotes more nutrient-dense and lower-calorie foods than the average American meat-heavy, processed food diet, you still may find losing weight a daily challenge. If you’re stuck in a cubicle all week, that office grind can derail the best of your exercise intentions as well as your diet and weight loss goals. Here are five vegan ways to lose weight at work.
Even though your vegan diet promotes more nutrient-dense and lower-calorie foods than the average American meat-heavy, processed food diet, you still may find losing weight a daily challenge. If you’re stuck in a cubicle all week, that office grind can derail the best of your exercise intentions as well as your diet and weight loss goals. Here are five vegan ways to lose weight at work.

5 Vegan tips to lose weight on the job

1. Pack your own lunch

Despite the growing (delicious) array of vegan restaurants, you will save money and calories by packing your own vegan lunches. Since mornings can be overwhelmingly busy getting your family out the door, pack your lunch the night before so it’s ready to grab and go. Be sure the vegan meals you pack are loaded with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other lower-calorie fare.

2. Make smart diet substitutions

Sure, that double shot mocha on your way to work may be made with soymilk, but it still packs more calories than a double shot of espresso or to-go cup of green tea. You can cut a significant number of calories from your weekly diet with simple substitutions. Skip the vitamin water and opt for water with a squeeze of lemon. Forgo the vegan baked goods on your coffee break and snack on fruits and vegetables. Evaluate the foods and drinks you consume at work and see where you can make smart diet substitutions.

3. Don’t go hungry

Always have your desk or bag loaded with healthy snacks — and never skip meals. When you let yourself get famished, you’re more likely to reach for high-calorie convenience foods or overeat when you sit down to dinner after work. Keep snack bags of vegan trail mix (and eat modestly), fresh fruit, cut up vegetables, whole grain nutrition bars, or containers of soy or coconut milk-based yogurts (keep these refrigerated) for easy snacking when your stomach starts to grumble in between meals.

4. Get up

Eating healthfully on the job is one part of the successful weight loss equation. The other part is incorporating as much physical activity into your work day as possible. That means taking a brisk walk on your lunch break or, if possible, riding your bike or walking to work. While in the office, take the stairs instead of the elevator and get up from your desk to deliver messages or talk to a coworker rather than email them. While you’re on a conference call, do squats, ab crunches, yoga poses, stretches, or other moves to make efficient use of your time. The more you move, the more calories you burn.

5. Sleep tight

This isn’t a green light to sleep on the job, it’s the recommendation to get adequate sleep every night to keep you from being fatigued at work. Getting enough shut-eye promotes weight loss because it keeps you from feeling so tired and stressed you reach for food in hopes of increasing your energy levels, and it also gives you more energy to get through your home and workday activities. The more oomph you put into your movements, the more calories you’ll burn and the closer you’ll be to your weight loss goals.

More vegan lifestyle tips!