Dear Annie: I just read your July 12 column on companies that help their employees stay fit, and I have to say, I'm envious. Here's my problem: Before I graduated from college in June, I was on the swim team and in great shape. But I just started my first "real" job six weeks ago, and already I've gained six pounds! If this keeps up, I'll put on 52 pounds a year! My employer, a FORTUNE 500 company, offers no fitness facilities, the nearest gym is miles away, the vending machines are stocked with snacks that are full of fat and sugar, and by the time I get home at night (after work days that average 9 or 10 hours) I'm too beat to exercise. Do any of your other readers have this problem? What do they do about it? -- Butterball

Dear Butterball: Funny you should ask. I recently came across a survey by CareerBuilder.com which says that almost half (47%) of U.S. employees report that they have gained weight since they started their current jobs. In addition, almost three quarters (73%) say their employers do zilch to help them stay fit--no on-site workout rooms, no wellness programs, no nothing. That being the case, we desk potatoes must take matters into our own hands. Rosemary Haefner, CareerBuilder's vice president of human resources, suggests five ways to battle the bulge:

1. Get a lunch box. About 40% of the folks surveyed say they eat out at least three times during the work week, and one in 10 say that they eat out every day. But, notes Haefner, "by skipping the deli counter in favor of a brown bag lunch you bring from home, you can control your portions and cut calories." You'll probably save a few dollars too.

2. Hang up the phone. Technology like voicemail and e-mail makes it easy to stay glued to your chair all day. "When you need to talk to a co-worker across the office, don't automatically pick up the phone," suggests Haefner. "Walk over there and chat face to face. Those extra steps add up." Likewise, take the stairs instead of the escalator whenever you can, and if you drive to work, park as far from the building as possible. Even ten minutes of walking per day can help kick-start your metabolism.

3. Avoid vending machines. The survey found that 35% of employees say that they snack at work at least three times a day, and that 43% admit to eating less healthy snacks at work than at home. Try bringing low-fat yogurt, an apple, raisins, or some carrot sticks to work. "That way, when afternoon hunger hits, you won't make a beeline for those candy machines," says Haefner.

4. Keep a bottle of water at your desk. "Many people reach for food when they're bored or stressed," Haefner notes. "If you sip water throughout the day, you'll feel fuller and be less tempted to chow down."

5. Make the most of your lunch hour. If there is no gym (or in your case, Butterball, perhaps I should say no pool) nearby, take a brisk walk around the neighborhood--or, if there's a place where you can stash a bicycle where you work, maybe even squeeze in a bike ride.

You get the idea. Look for ways to be more active and eat carefully, and fear not: I guarantee you won't gain 52 pounds a year.

Dear Annie: A friend of mine works for a high-tech company and often has to go out of town to conferences, trade shows, and other events. In order to cut costs, whenever more than one person from the company is traveling to the same destination, his employer requires him to share a hotel room with a colleague. The work schedules on these trips are intense, and my friend values his privacy, so he asked his boss if he could get his own room. His boss said he could, but only if he paid half the cost himself. This seems weird to me. Is it common practice? -- Curious George

Dear George: Yes, it is. Along the same lines, many companies will reimburse your entire airfare if you fly coach, but if you want to upgrade to business class (or, picky you, first class), you pay the difference between the two fares out of your own pocket. I certainly don't blame your friend for yearning for a room of his own. But if the company agrees to pay for one person's privacy, everyone else will want the same deal, and that cost-cutting initiative will go right out the hotel-room window. Has your friend checked out websites like Hotels.com and Expedia.com? They frequently offer bargain-basement rates, and it may be well worth a little extra research to keep from having to hear a coworker snore.

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