Your Ultimate Fab and Fast Guide to Getting Fit at Work

Guest post by Aby League

So you decided to enroll at the gym to counter the bad effects of sitting all day in the office?

Good for you!

It means you have decided to take your health and wellness seriously.

But do you know that spending time at the gym for an hour or two daily is not enough to

counteract the health risks of spending majority of your day at your desk?

According to this study, too much sitting can be the cause of early death, even for those who

exercise regularly.

Not only are you at risk for obesity, but also for cardiovascular disease, bowel cancer, and

diabetes.

This is why getting fit at work is something that you should work on immediately.

Here’s a quick guide to staying fit while sitting.

Don’t let your office work destroy your health.
Photo from Mwhphotography Byamber via Pinterest

Unless you can afford to quit your office job, you have to resort to more practical measures

in order to save your health while keeping your desk job.

The good news is, there are lots of things you can do in order to stay healthy at the office.

Here are some of the convenient ways to become fit at work:

1. Do some squats before you sit

Stand an inch away in front of your chair.

Breathe and hold in your abdominals then squat as if you’re going to sit on the chair.

Make your backside go low until it reaches the chair but don’t sit just yet.

Stand right up and squeeze your glutes.

This may not sound much but doing this for a minute daily can burn as much as 50 calories

in a week.

2. Do push-ups in the comfort room

As busy as you are, you do have to go to the ladies room, don’t you?

Not only can you use this time to do your usual bathroom business, you can also squeeze

in some arm exercises while you’re in there.

Use the flat surface of the walls to do some push-ups.

You can do these against the wall or the edge of the sink.

You can even do this on your desk if you’re not conscious about it.

Doing 10 to 15 push-ups a day can make a difference in the long run.

Use your desk for quick push-ups.
Photo from TODAY via Pinterest

3. Stretch your hips while sitting on the desk

Do you wonder why your lower back becomes painful when you’re sitting for long hours?

Notice that when you sit, you fold your legs at the hip, which shortens your hip flexors.

This causes the pain and stiffness in your lower back.

To avoid this, do some hip stretching even while you’re sitting.

Bend your knees and place your feet on the floor.

Place an ankle on the opposite thigh.

This will make your lower body assume the number 4 position.

Lean forward over your legs, exhaling while you do so.

Keep your back straight.

Take three deep breaths while holding this position.

Switch your legs afterwards.

Do at least three switches while you’re typing or while you’re in a meeting.

4. March in place while you’re sitting

Sitting on your butt all day can cause poor blood circulation in your lower extremities,

which can increase the risks of varicose veins.

You have to move your lower body every now and then to improve the circulation of blood.

While you’re sitting, march in place as if you’re taking the stairs.

Do it for at least 45 seconds, which can be a handy exercise while you’re reading or answering

emails.

Make those neck pains disappear.
Photo from Skinny Ms. via Pinterest

5. Stretch your arms and back

That unsettling pain and discomfort between the shoulder blades is something that all office

workers are familiar with.

This is what you get when you hunch over your keyboard 7-8 hours a day.

Lessen the chances of getting neck pain by reaching both arms to the ceiling then arching

your back.

Bring your arms down and then stretch forward to open the upper back.

Do this nice stretch every 20 minutes to loosen the hard muscles between the shoulder blades.

6. Take a walk during breaks

If you think you’re too busy to leave the office, it’s time to change this mindset for the

sake of your health.

Taking short walks during lunch and coffee breaks can lower the risks of cardiovascular

diseases.

This exercise, when done regularly, can also improve your waistline and your sugar and

fat metabolism.

This is something to seriously consider if you think about the fact that an hour’s worth of

gym session is pretty much useless if you spend the majority of your day sitting.

Make the effort to squeeze in 10 to 20 minute walks a day for substantial daily exercise.

Whether at home or in the office, you will benefit greatly from a treadmill desk.
LifeSpan TR800-DT5 Desktop Treadmill

7. Do cardio in your work station

With the invention of the treadmill desk and portable pedal bikes, there’s simply no excuse

for not logging in precious cardio exercises everyday.

Sure, you may have to shell out considerable cash to buy these exercise tools but don’t you

think your health is worth the expense?

Pedaling while you’re busy typing on your laptop is the best way to become fit for a multi-tasker

like you.

Those who work at home will benefit greatly from a treadmill desk, given that there’s more space

for it in your house.

Burning off the calories you got from that heavy burrito lunch is easy when you can do cardio

right in your work station.

These exercises are enough to get you started on the right track but keep in mind that your

office workout should be complemented with proper nutrition.

Diet and exercise go hand in hand when it comes to giving the health and wellness that your

body deserves.

About the author:
Aby League is a passionate writer and researcher. She owns About Possibilities blog and writes mostly about health, psychology and technology. Get in touch with her via @abyleague

How do you work out while working?

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