4 things that keep me fat!

Thank God this is not me. But it could be if I don't get moving!

I sat down at my desk this morning and here it is 1 p.m. Didn't eat breakfast. Did get in 45 minutes of exercise in before my butt hit my chair, but what happened to the two 12-minute miles to Leslie Sanson's DVD I was planning to fit in before lunch.

These tips from the Cleveland Clinic came at the perfect time for me, a gentle reminder that I really need to pay more attention to my work day.

1. I love my chair. Not really, but I spend more hours of my day in this chair than anyplace else. According to the Cleveland Clinic, prolonged sitting puts us at risk for heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Yuck! And one bout of exercise does not make up for a day in a chair. I know have a note on my computer screen that simply says: Get vertical!  I also set my iPhone's timer to 2 hours. And every two hours I will reset it, key up the DVD and get moving.
2. We need to pretend that we are hunter-gatherers and eat throughout the day. If we starve ourselves -- and I admit I do this -- it messes with our metabolism and when we start eating normally again, we pack on the pounds. The goal is to start the day with a healthy breakfast full of fiber and protein. Then eat small but frequent meals and snacks throughout the day to keep metabolism high.
3. Avoid eating out, especially at lunch. The Cleveland Clinic points to a 2012 study that found that women who ate lunch out once a week lost 5 pounds fewer than women who eat out less frequently. And eating one fast-food meal every week increases your risk of dying from a heart attack by 20 percent. Make nice with your kitchen.
4. I know that when I am sad, anxious or feeling down, Twizzlers start calling my name. One study found that when we are stressed, our bodies release cortisol and that makes us reach for junk food. The Cleveland Clinic suggests that in times of stress we reach for mood-enhancing foods: whole grains, lean protein, Brazil nuts, whey protein and black tea.