Jobs That Help You Stay Fit

Who says motherhood isn't a physical job?

With your busy life, sometimes it can be hard to find time to hit the gym to get in that all-important exercise. Well, why not kill two birds with one stone and get fit while you work? We wanted to know what jobs help you stay in tip-top shape so we asked GalTime nutritionist Elisa Zied and our personal trainer Kasie Sullivan (along with a few Galtime.com readers) to weigh in. Here are the top picks for picking careers that help you burn a deceiving amount of calories as well as maintain a healthy lifestyle.

1. Nutritionist/Dietician: Nutritionists definitely practice what they preach in terms of healthful eating. Their jobs depend on it; after all who would trust a nutritionist who downs pizza and sweets all the time? Says Zied, a registered dietician and author of Nutrition At Your Fingertips: "Because I'm a dietitian, I have an added incentive to eat healthfully and engage in lots of exercise and physical activity, to practice what I preach, and try to be a good role model or example to others."
2. Nurse: In a fast-paced hospital setting, nurses are also constantly moving, burning off hundreds of calories while simply performing their jobs. Sullivan suggests keeping a pedometer with you at work to keep track of how much you walk! Adds Zied, "Healthcare professionals may also feel that it's important to reflect what they've learned through research and experience about living a healthy life."
3. Stay-at-Home-Mother: Readers Jene and Jeannie contend that chasing after their toddlers at home keeps them moving and on their toes. Much like nurses, stay-at-home-mothers are always moving!
4. Teachers, servers and bartenders are also top picks for burning those calories in the name of work.

What if you don't have any of these jobs? Don't kill yourself for missing a day or two at the gym. Simple lifestyle changes can help you save on calorie intake. (The less you take in, the less you need to burn off!) Try packing your lunch instead of going out to eat a few days per week. Take the stairs at the office rather than the elevator. Spend a few hours every day standing rather than sitting. "I think that getting up and going to see a colleague instead of sending an email, taking a short walk as part of your lunch hour, taking stairs instead of the elevator and perhaps even wearing a pedometer to track your steps can help you burn a few more calories throughout the day. Walking to or from work or walking part of the way there or back can also be quite helpful, not to mention possibly save you some money," says Zied.

Sullivan also offers some simple workouts you can do from the comfort of your office: "Hold onto the back of your chair and do calf-raises. Wear a headset so you can move around while you're on the phone. Keep a water bottle at your desk and drink water throughout the day. Sneak abdominals in by twisting your trunk while sitting. You can also place your hands next to your hips and try to lift your butt off your chair, hold and repeat."