If you have a desk job, losing weight can be tough. Your body expends less energy when you’re at your desk, so it’s harder to drop pounds than if you were working more physical jobs. However, it’s certainly possible to lose weight with a desk job, as long as you maintain active throughout the day and choose healthy meals over unhealthy ones. Here are some of the best ways to lose weight fast with a desk job.

1) Cut Out Sugary Drinks

You’re burning calories at work, so don’t sabotage your weight loss efforts by consuming too many sugary drinks. While these beverages do provide hydration and come in quite handy on hot days, they also contain calories that add up quickly. A standard glass of orange juice has about 120 calories, while a 20-ounce bottle of soda contains around 250 calories. Just one can may not seem like much, but think about how often you drink them throughout your day—and consider how easy it is to overindulge when they are always within reach. If you can’t cut out sugary drinks entirely—we certainly don’t recommend it—try limiting yourself to just one per day (or none at all) and swap in water instead.

2) Limit Alcohol

Drinking alcohol is often associated with weight gain. The reason, of course, is that alcohol contains calories and you need to be careful how much you drink each day. You don’t want your drinking habits contributing to your weight gain problem! If you’re trying to lose weight fast, it may be a good idea to restrict alcohol or eliminate it entirely for awhile.

3) Eat Breakfast

Sometimes called the most important meal of the day, breakfast is essential for long-term weight loss and optimal health. Skipping breakfast causes your blood sugar levels to plummet, making you crave food at every waking moment. A healthy breakfast will stave off hunger until lunchtime and make you less likely to indulge in high-calorie snacks. Some simple breakfast ideas include fruit smoothies with low-fat yogurt, eggs, or whole wheat toast. Skipping breakfast can also cause fatigue during your workday and lead to weight gain. To lose weight safely but quickly, don’t skip meals!

4) Eat Lean Proteins

Lean proteins are one of the best foods for weight loss because they take longer to digest than other foods, keeping you fuller longer. Eat protein at every meal, especially if you sit down for your meals, and try to include it in snacks as well. Good sources of lean protein include chicken breast, tuna fish, turkey, skim milk and yogurt.

5) Watch What You Drink at Work

Don’t let your office job keep you from losing weight. Drinking plain, unsweetened iced or green tea instead of sugary beverages is an easy way to cut back on extra calories and lose weight fast. Plus, it has zero calories and is naturally caffeinated, so you can drink it anytime without worrying about your energy levels dipping later in the day. Another win: Tea contains healthful antioxidants that boost your body’s ability to burn fat.

6) Sneak In Physical Activity Throughout the Day to lose weight fast

A sedentary lifestyle puts you at an increased risk for health problems. But even if you’re not sitting down all day, your body needs regular movement. For most of us, that means taking breaks throughout our workday to walk around, stretch and get out of our chairs. If you have a sedentary job, consider taking brief walks throughout your workday—or even parking further away from your office in order to add steps as you walk toward your destination. It may not seem like much, but it can really add up over time!

7) Take Your Lunch Break Outside

Sitting down at your desk every day can really be a drag. And it’s not just your work performance that suffers, either. If you do not get up and move around during your lunch break, you are setting yourself up for weight gain. Instead of sitting down at your desk all day long, take your lunch break outside. Getting fresh air and sunlight will boost your mood and help you stay on track with any diet or exercise goals you may have set for yourself (and bonus: it’ll also make working in an office much more bearable).

8) Don’t Skip Meals, Especially Breakfast

We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it’s also one of our most commonly skipped. Skipping breakfast could cause your body to hold onto extra weight instead of burning it off. When you skip meals and get too hungry later in the day, you’re more likely to overeat at dinner or snacks. This can cause your metabolism to slow down, leading your body to burn fewer calories per day than it normally would (1). A slower metabolism means you can put on pounds without realizing it—and be less motivated in doing anything about it. If you want to lose weight fast with a desk job, remember: skipping meals is not an option.