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"Researchers have found a new culprit in the obesity epidemic, beyond our poor food choices and [supersized portions](http://nutritiondata.self.com/): The American workplace.\\n\\n\\n\\nScientists estimate that over the last 50 years, the [amount of calories burned on the job](/calculatorsprograms/calculators/) decreased by up to 140 calories. So it should come as no surprise that the nation has been steadily gaining weight for the last five decades, according to the report, published [Wednesday in the journal PLoS One](http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0019657).\\n\\n\\n\\nHow can you [counteract the flabby results](/fitness/workouts/2011/06/bikini-body-workout-slideshow#slide=1) of our increasingly sedentary working conditions? It's easier than you think:\\n\\n![[#image: /photos/57d8e2e1f71ce8751f6b6dd3]||||||](http://blog.self.com/health/blogs/healthyself/could-your-job-kill-you-hear296.jpg) - Walk or bike to work. While it may be tough to find time during your workday to burn calories, you can always bike to and from work (and burn calories during your commute). Work from home? Start and end your day with a 15-minute stroll as if you were commuting to and from an office.\\n\\n- Take frequent breaks. \\\"Even if you can't manage to take a full hour for lunch, take a 15-minute break and go for a walk,\\\" says Bonnie Taub-Dix, registered dietitian in New York and author of *Read It Before You Eat It*. \\\"A lot of people claim they don't have time, but those 15 minutes outside can really clear your head and increase your productivity when you're back at your desk.\\\"\\n\\n- Take the stairs. Whether you're arriving at the office first thing in the morning or going to meetings throughout the day, take every opportunity to climb the stairs. Who knew you could do step aerobics at work without looking silly?\\n\\n- Opt for face-to-face meetings rather than conference calls or email. Believe it or not, walking to and from the conference room and physically talking and interacting with others burns calories -- and every little bit counts.\\n\\n- Get a buddy. Research shows that people who embark on a weight loss routine with a friend drop more pounds -- and are more likely to keep them off -- than those who go it alone. \\\"People get influenced both positively and negatively by others around them,\\\" says Taub-Dix. \\\"If you enlist a buddy at work who has the same goals as you, you can motivate each other to stay on track.\\\" Even when the office donut supply is calling your name!\\n\\n\\n\\nRelated links:\\n\\n- [How many calories are you eating?](http://nutritiondata.self.com/)\\n- [Do this at work to have a longer life?](/health/blogs/healthyself/2011/05/do-this-at-work-to-have-a-long)\\n- [Why you should snack on strawberries right now](/health/blogs/healthyself/2011/05/5-reasons-why-you-should-snack)"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.self.com/story/why-your-job-is-making-you-fat>