Why is it that many chefs and food service professionals -- people who spend an average of 8 hours per day, five days per week surrounded by food -- aren't overweight?

It turns out, ergonomics and dainty dining habits may have something to do with it.

If you've watched any number of cooking shows, you probably know that tasting your food is the creed of any chef worth his or her salt. However, when restaurant-style foods are typically higher in fat, calories and sodium than food traditionally served in the home, it seems counter-intuitive for chefs to continuously eat their own food while attempting to stay fit and healthy.

According to Food Network's Giada de Laurentiis, a secret among many chefs is "to eat a little bit of everything, and not a lot of anything."

Laurentiis said that portion control is far more important than the type of food you eat, and even the carbohydrate villain (also known as pasta) can be enjoyed regularly as a part of a healthy diet, as long as it is eaten in small amounts.

Lei Shisak, pastry chef and owner of Sugar Blossom Bake Shop who preciously served as the pastry chef of Los Angeles' Luna Park restaurant, said she feels compelled to taste everything she makes. Considering most of her culinary concoctions are luscious cupcakes, delectable cookies, warm cinnamon buns and elaborately decorated full-size cakes, this can add up to a lot of calories.

In an interview with People Magazine, Shisak shared that her way around the excess is to take tiny bites, avoid additional carbohydrates when dining on her own, and supplement her diet with healthy, balanced meals, such as fish and a light salad.

In addition to sampling in small quantities, many chefs and food service professionals do another thing that helps them stay slim: They spend each day on their feet.

Observational research has found that sitting has a correlation with obesity, morbidity, endometrial and colon cancers, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Experts aren't sure exactly why sitting is related to these dangerous diseases, but the common theme seems to be less physical activity, a lack of muscle engagement and an increase in calorie consumption.

Standing, on the other hand, burns approximately 276 more calories per 8 hour work day, and it keeps your muscles alert. People also tend to eat less food when they are upright instead of in a relaxed, sitting position.

Just because many chefs and food service professionals eat less and stand more, does it mean they are in fact healthier?

It's hard to tell because there is no research available to monitor this specific demographic, and not all people in this calorie-laden industry follow the same protocol. There are just as many well-known chefs who are overweight -- from Food Network's favorite Italian gourmand, Mario Batali, to once famous television cooking star Dom Deluise, who passed in 2009 from complications resulting from his lengthy battle with obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.

While the idea that chefs who eat little bites throughout the day are healthier is an attractive one, the research is just not there to support the claim. Health care professionals may be divided on this issue, but many agree there is no one set way to eat. Whether someone consumes three meals a day or has multiple smaller meals and snacks, it does not determine if they will be overweight.

What does count in the battle of the bulge is whether someone is eating fewer calories than they burn and engaging in regular physical activity. That, along with genetics, health and environment, all play a role in whether or not someone gains weight. The same rules apply to those who work in the food service industry.

The verdict is still out on exactly why many chefs and food workers are able to stay thin while working around so many delicious, often unhealthy foods. It does seem that part of their success can be attributed to controlling their portion sizes and standing instead of sitting throughout the day, but other factors -- genetics, health and lifestyle -- also play an important role.