Whether you’re sitting on your bum in an office, in a classroom, or even at your desk at home, working all day in a chair has become a common practice for society. And while this has become the norm in workplaces, health experts continually say that sitting and living a sedentary lifestyle can affect your body in many negative ways including weak leg muscles, weight gain, and even higher risk of developing chronic diseases, according to Harvard Health. Plus, sitting all day can induce some unhealthy eating habits that increase your body’s risk of weight gain and disease, if you’re not careful.

Here are some of the habits you need to avoid if you find yourself sitting at a desk a better part of your day and if you’re looking for even more healthy eating tips.

1              Skipping meals.

It’s easy to just keep working through lunch when trying to meet a work deadline. But this only likely will result in overeating through the evening, tipping weight gain. Instead, plan and schedule meals, including snacks. Take an hour or two on a weekend to choose a few healthy recipes or load up on plenty of fruits and veggies, lean meat, and whole grains to quickly put a nourishing meal together.

2              Drinking sugary beverages for quick energy.

One too many sugary sodas or energy drinks may keep you from nodding off but at a price of weight gain along with an increased risk of chronic diseases. Instead, get yourself a reusable water bottle and keep it on your desk or by your side. Or try herbal teas for a refreshing change of pace. Drinking water or unsweetened herbal teas will keep you fuller and less tempted to snack on empty calories.

3              Mindless snacking.

Sitting all day often leads to mindless eating or ‘grazing. There are a handful of nuts here and there, bite-size candy mid-afternoon, and the list goes on. Before you know it, you have consumed hundreds of hundreds of calories without knowing it. Over time, the increase in calories and decrease in movement can lead to weight gain.

Plan nutrient-rich snacks that contain fibre and protein.

4              Stress eating.

Eating pizza and social networking with a laptop.

Along the same lines as mindless snacking, stress eating can be another easy habit to fall into if your work has become stressful during the day. A planned snack or snacks in the afternoon (or morning if you need one) is to avoid stress eating, and other mindless snacking.

5              Eating while you work.

Avoid eating at your desk. People who eat while sitting at their desks and working may eat up to 50% more. They are often distracted and not eating mindfully. When you want to grab a snack or eat a meal, get up, walk around the house, and eat it in the kitchen.

6              Not drinking enough water.

Ensure that you keep water available at your desk, even if you need to infuse it or add lemon to provide some flavour and allow you to have something to sip on throughout the day to feel your best, stay hydrated, and avoid those sugary sodas and energy drinks.

7             Not taking breaks.

Not taking breaks is another problem while sitting and working. Set regular breaks and be sure to structure in some time for daily exercise as well as walking breaks. Set your alarm if you need a reminder. Often, you feel the need to eat calorie-dense junk food for an energy boost as you think you have low energy. Really, your low energy may be coming from the fact that you’ve been sitting all day, so get moving.

Culled from www.eatthis.com