Workplace Fitness: Beat your appetite with smell (and 7 other tips for office weight loss)

In a survey by CareerBuilder.com 49% of office workers said they had gained weight because of their jobs, and 28% of those people reported putting on more than 10 pounds (ouch!). Do you fit into one (or both) of those two groups? 49% is scarily close to a majority! It's no wonder so many of us struggle. Want some help? Try these 8 tips and tricks for losing weight (or at the very least keeping it from creeping on) while at work:

Out of sight, out of mind!
Apparently cutting down on how many times you grab a piece of candy from your (or your coworker's) candy dish at work is as simple as using an opaque candy dish with a lid. If you can't see the candy inside you're less likely to crave a piece of it (71% less likely!).

Don't sit all day
Standing for part of your work day can help you burn more calories, improve your posture, and have you all-around feeling better. And it's not impossible even if your work keeps you on the computer all day -- just get an adjustable-height workstation so you can go from sitting to standing whenever the mood strikes.

Make snack appointments
It's no surprise that most of us eat a good share of meals and snacks at our desks, which is a nasty recipe for mindless eating. Try scheduling both meals and snack times into your appointment book or planner, and when it's time to eat step away from your desk and focus on really enjoying the food.

Walk while you talk
Spend a lot of time on the phone during the day? Get a headset and walk while you talk. And no worries about sounding out of breath -- you're not necessarily looking for a serious workout here, a simple stroll will do just fine.

Store snacks to your left
Studies have shown that people are quicker to grab snacks and food when they're stored on the right-hand side (regardless of handedness) so store your desk snacks on the left and see if you don't dip into the stash a little less often!

Green up your morning habit
Drink green tea instead of black tea or coffee -- green tea specifically is linked to weight loss (probably due to the catechins it contains).

Beat your appetite with the SMELL of food
Sounds backwards, right? But studies show it isn't -- instead of stimulating the appetite smells like banana, green apple, peppermint, and vanilla actually work to satisfy and suppress it. i.e. People who smell these things tend to eat less.

Place your bets
Sometimes competition does a body good. Try striking up a weight loss bet with your coworkers and office mates -- people who do end up losing an average of 8 pounds!