Weight Management > How to Lose Weight with a Full-Time Job

How to Lose Weight with a Full-Time Job

6th Jan 20

Losing weight is a hard enough challenge on its own, no matter what your situation is. Trying to lose weight with a full-time job is even harder. A busy life makes things really easy to let go of exercise and healthy eating habits, so it makes sense. We’re inundated with fast food, quick snacks, junk foods and sedentary lifestyles, especially with working on PCs. All of that makes a perfect recipe for a little weight gain, but that doesn’t have to make you an unhealthy person.

Managing your weight when all of these things are big factors in everyday life though does make things difficult. To help point you in the right direction and help you be a happier and healthier person, we’ve come up with some of the best ways you can make little changes to your life and help you lose weight, even with a full-time job that gives you no time in your day.


Want to move fast? Jump to the right section below.


Meal Prep & Plan

Tupperware of frozen meals

One of the biggest things we could ever recommend to anyone trying to live a healthier life and reach their fitness goals with a full-time job is to plan. Meal preparation and planning is one of the best things you could ever do. You take away the convenience factors that make you buy less healthy food by already having a backup. You’ll save money, save time, and know exactly what you’re eating. It really does make a tremendous difference, and we couldn’t recommend it more for every meal.

Cut The Snacks

Man eating a salad at his desk

If there’s one thing that damages weight loss, especially at work, it has to be snacks. Snack culture is one of the biggest players in adding up your calories in your day, and it’s not a new concept. Just about all of us like a snack in our desk drawers to help keep us plodding through the day, but they aren’t always a good thing. Unless you have healthy snacks (like these), which are never a bad thing, snacking is an easy way to eat more calories than you need and have too much sugar too. It’s a risky business to losing weight with a busy job or anything else for that matter.

Don’t Drink Your Calories

Cup of coffee

Another large part of having a full-time job comes from the coffee you drink in a day to keep you going. Kind of like snacks, a lot of people love their coffees on a large scale, and although it may not be the healthiest thing (according to Harvard), it far from the worst. What does make things worse, however, is when we add calories for no reason. Sugar and milk in a coffee are two of the easiest ways to do it. Milk isn’t so bad since it’s nutritional, but adding sugar is just adding calories, usually around 100. One hundred calories per cup with 4 cups a day is an easy way to go WAY over your calorie needs. It’s a little change that has a big impact!

Active Days

Man walking down stairs

This is always a healthy habit, and we’d love to just say exercise more, but let’s stay on track for losing weight with a full-time job specifically. If you’re working 8 hours a day and commute for another one, that can make it really hard to find time in your day to exercise. It’s completely understandable. On top of getting a home gym to make things easier, adding activity into your workday can be an amazing way to do it. Try getting off the bus a stop or two earlier, or cycle instead of drive. Even walking on your breaks can be amazing, and it all adds up to a better calorie burn.

Fit Tech

Woman using a smart watch

If you need a bit of a kick up the butt to lose weight even with your busy job, fit tech can be a great way to do it. Some of the more popular choices are from things like smartwatches and fitness trackers (which are pretty awesome), but even little apps or timers on your PC can be great. Add reminders to your day to tell you when to drink more water or when to take a quick break to run downstairs. Even standing desks keep you healthier, and they’re all a great thing to do for your workday!

Healthier Alternatives

Woman mixing a salad

The last thing we’ll suggest to you is to make little changes to the things you already do, no matter what they may be. All of the small changes we’ve suggested have a massive impact on your health, but even substituting things like your snacks and your drinks can make all the difference. Adding some vegan products, for example, like soy and almond milk to reduce fat, adding fruit instead of unnatural sugars, all of this kind of thing; they have the most significant impact on your day.

Overall, the best advice to lose weight with a full-time job that you can get is to plan. The biggest downfall of weight loss is often giving in to temptation and sticking with bad habits. Make little changes to your life and try your best to stick to them by making them as easy as you can. Weight management is always possible as long as you plan ahead. Keep ahead and keep realistic. Any progress is good progress, and your health always comes first!


Before beginning any exercise or nutrition program, consult your physician, doctor or other professional. This is especially important for individuals over the age of 35 or persons with pre-existing health problems. Exercise.co.uk assumes no responsibility for personal injury or property damage sustained using our advice.

If you experience dizziness, nausea, chest pain, or any other abnormal symptoms, stop the workout at once and consult a physician or doctor immediately.

Menu
icon_bluestone98