Most of us spend our workday sitting. We asked Glenneth Reed, Fitness Blogger at Let’s Talk and Walk, to give her suggestions on creative ways to stay fit at the office.
With a full-time desk job, I spend almost 40 hours a week sitting in front of the computer and that’s not talking about the time I spend at home in front of my computer. It is a must that I get in some activity during the day. I can almost quote many articles that discuss how to be active while at the office. See if these sounds familiar and I’ll share my personal experience with these tips.
- Park as far away from your building as possible – I currently do this. I park six spaces away from the front door – the very end of the parking spaces.
- Take the stairs, not the elevator – We don’t have an elevator OR stairs in our building. We are a one-story, small office building.
- Walk to your coworker’s office instead of emailing them – I do this as often as possible. It is approximately twenty steps away to my co-workers desk.
These are great suggestions for larger corporations and those who work in multi-level office buildings. I encourage anyone currently in this situation to start implementing as many of them as possible. However, they just don’t fit those of us in small offices or those that might work from home. So, it is time to get creative with office fitness. Here are a few of my ideas:
Jawbone UP – Idle Alert
One of my favorite new gadgets is the Jawbone UP. It tracks sleep and steps. My favorite feature is the idle alert. You can set it to alert you (vibrate) every 15, 30, 45 minutes. This is a great reminder for me to get up, move around, and stretch. I can easily lose track of time when I am working at my computer. I have my alert set for every 30 minutes. I get up, walk around the halls for a few minutes, refill my water bottle if necessary, and stretch. Then I am back at the computer for another 30 minutes.
Balance Ball Chair
Similar to the stability balls that you use for many different fitness activities, I purchased a balance ball chair for my office. This is a great reminder to sit up straight, watch my posture, and engage my abs.
Squats
We did a squat challenge at our office for a few weeks. We started with 10 squats 3 times per day and built up to 33 squats 3 times a day. We did the squats in the morning, in the afternoon, and then on our own at home in the evening. Even if your coworkers are not up for the challenge, squats can be done quickly, with little space, and pretty much in any attire.
Dumbbells
Another great idea is to store some dumbbells at your desk. Need to think about something? Do some bicep or hammer curls. Incorporate the bicep curls into your squats and you are working multiple muscles at the same time.
Obviously work is the top priority when you are at the office, but it is proven that activity helps us stay healthy, which in turn can lead to us being at our jobs more often with higher levels of productivity. I would think all employers would and should encourage you to add some activity to your day.
Glenneth Reed blogs at Let’s Talk and Walk. She is 43 and is trying to get healthy through walking, cycling, making healthier decisions, and having fun. She loves technology and always has the latest gadget. During the day she is a project manager for an internet marketing company. In the evening she is studying to be a Health and Wellness Coach.
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