Getting in shape for summer, inside and outside the office

This past weekend marked the unofficial start of summer. If you’re anything like me, you’re ready for everything that comes along with the warm weather — except maybe bathing suit season.

Most young attorneys are strapped to their desk (or in some other sedentary position) for most of the day. Short of replacing your office chair with a stability ball, opportunities to exercise can be fairly limited for young lawyers.

I once heard a diet tip that you should make exercise as much of a necessity in your life as is brushing your teeth. You wouldn’t go a day without brushing your teeth, would you? But I know that attitude would be fairly impossible for me to adopt. There are just so many other things I’d rather do than exercise. Maintaining a reasonable diet can be a challenge, too. The “office 15” can sneak up on you and become a source of even more stress.

I recently started a new job doing document review for Brower Piven (a job for which I am immensely thankful for) and already I am reminded of the temptations to break your diet when working in an office. Ordering out for lunch with co-workers, for example, is such a welcome break from the day. It can also be extremely hard to eat last night’s leftovers or the salad you brought for lunch when everyone else is ordering out.

It’s also a challenge to keep snacking under control at the office. I don’t know what it is, but any snack placed up for grabs in the office kitchen seems to taste five times better than it would in any other circumstance.

How do you manage handling your work responsibilities and your health? Or do you manage? Attorney’s jobs can be extremely demanding. Is it better to put in early morning and evening hours at work rather than hit the gym? I know I often feel guilty leaving the office even to go to lunch. Any tips or tricks to burn calories during the day and manage snacking to get ready for summer?