How to Lose Weight as a Busy Software Developer

by | Exercise, Fitness, Nutrition

Do long hours in front of the computer make it hard for you get in shape?

Maybe you’re already quite insecure about your looks. All that extra weight makes it hard to walk for too long without getting winded. Energy crashes are common. Even coffee doesn’t help anymore.

You can feel your health is rapidly spiraling down. But you have no idea how to change all this. Yeah, people talk about diet and exercise. However, there’s too much information and it’s easy to get overwhelmed.

Fortunately, it’s not all that complicated. But first, let’s explain what makes you gain weight. Once you understand the process you can reverse-engineer it to achieve the opposite result.

Why Do Software Devs Gain Weight After Just a Few Years in the Industry?

Lifestyle and the work environment both play a huge role. Because of the specifics of the job most devs share a very similar lifestyle.

Low activity levels and sedentary lifestyle – your body’s energy requirements are quite low. That makes it super easy to gain weight. Even small increases in calories from food result in excess energy. The body can’t burn those calories through activity and they get stored as fat.

Active people can get away with eating way more without putting on much weight.

*Note: energy and calories are the same thing.

The Cost of Convenience

Due to the nature of your job you spend long hours sitting. As with everything else, this creates a momentum that is hard to stop and reverse. You get less active over time. But that’s not all.

If you work from home it’s easy to start ordering food online. That habit may also carry over to lunchtime at the office. Or maybe it started there. If you’re hyper-focused on work, food delivery seems like a huge time saver.

You can spend days without leaving your place. That means less movement and overeating on tasty, calorie dense food. A very bad combo! This results in a lot of excess energy stored as fat.

The Emotional Toll

Once your gut starts showing up this may affect your self-esteem. You may become ashamed of your body and start avoiding people. Periods of depression may follow.

This is when you may turn to comfort food. It does provide a temporary relief. But it doesn’t solve the problem. You get fatter and more depressed over time.

It’s worse for people who deal with high-stress situations. It’s even easier to opt for convenient meals and caffeine abuse. Stress in a combination with poor sleep increases food cravings.

As you a software engineer you have to be aware of those risks. It’s easy to slide down the slippery slope of unhealthy choices.

What’s the Best Diet for a Software Engineer?

Many fall prey to clever marketers and health gurus. Fat burners, detox teas, bulletproof coffee, and other supplements may seem like an easy solution.

However, you can’t undo the effects of a poor diet with supplements. As the name suggests those are products that supplement the diet. Your body is a reflection of all your daily habits and food choices.

Real food makes up 99% of your diet. That's why you should focus on your meal choices.

Want To Take Your Fitness To The Next Level

Are you serious about getting the best out of your training sessions?

You might be a fit for the Fitness Mastery mentoring program. Here's how to apply:

Step 1 - Book a Free Assessment Call
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Until next time!

~Niki, Fitness Mastery Coach

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