Fitness
Move more, even when you sit.
Chances are you don’t have one of those newfangled treadmill desks in your office. That shouldn’t stop you from adding exercise into your work schedule. If you get breaks, use them to march up and down the stairs or walk around the building a few times. Or, go into an empty conference room and pound out some pushups. While you probably won’t get enough of a workout for one day’s needs, short stints of exercise add up.
Don’t just stand there.
Waiting for the coffee to brew? Burst into a 60-second aerobic routine that includes side stepping or marching in place. Or, squat and stand as the copy machine spits out your papers. And, perhaps just to freak out co-workers, strike a warrior pose in the break room. See if you can hold it for a minute without talking (or laughing).
Do sitting-down-on-the-job exercises.
From a seated position, you can:
* Tighten your abs and buttocks with periodic squeezes.
* Push shoulder blades toward each other and hold to stretch your back.
* Stretch both arms over your head. Reach, reach, reach.
* Extend your legs in front of you and hold.
* Extend your legs, than draw your knees to your chest. Repeat and feel the burn in your abs.
* Turn your head to the left, torso to the right, hold. Repeat on the other side.
* Extend your arms straight out and move them slowly around in smaller to larger circles, forward then backward.
* Place both hands on your chair arms and slowly lift your bottom.
Action Step
Put a sticky note in your workspace that reminds you to stretch, bend, and move throughout your workday. Use exercise options offered to you at work.
© American Institute for Preventive Medicine
