Hey buddy, have a seat!
No thanks, I sit for a living. In fact, most of us do. We go to the office, get to our desks and sit there at our computers until it is time to go to lunch. While our fingers may be flying over the keyboard, and our minds racing with ideas, our bodies are just sitting there soaking in the mocha latte and the occasional donut. However, we can’t just get up and start doing jumping jacks in the middle of the office. We are professionals, after all.
So what can be done to fight that battle of the bulge without turning the copy room into a yoga studio? Plenty.
1. If your office has a parking lot then park farther away. Those extra steps add up over time. If you take public transit consider standing rather than sitting on the way to work. You do after all, sit for a living.
2. Waiting at the printer, copier or fax machine? Why not take this moment to get a few calf raises in there?
3. Take the stairs. Take them today, not tomorrow. If you work on the 30th floor, get off on floor 27 and go from there.
4. Does your chair have arms? Perfect, put your hands on them and lift yourself out of your seat. The mini bench-dips can help get the blood flowing and burn some calories.
5. Put ‘em up! While sitting in your chair reach your arms high into the air. After a few seconds raise your right arm higher, then raise your left arm higher. Some simple stretches can go a long way.
6. How about some butt clenches? Tighten your bottom, hold, and then relax. Doing 10-15 of these can help tighten up that butt.
7. Do some ab clenches too. These work just like #6 only shift the focus to your abs instead.
8. Don’t call or send an e-mail to the person across the office to ask a question. Get up and walk over there. Not only is this exercise, a little face time with the co-workers goes a long way towards building positive working relationships.
9. Walk to lunch. Don’t hit the drive through, walk on over. See a bit of the area around your office. Maybe you’ll find a hidden gem of a restaurant nearby.
10. Switch out your chair for a desk ball. It doesn’t have to be an all or nothing chair/ball relationship but try switching out the chair for 20-30 minutes per day.
Each one is a small step in the right direction. Just because you sit for a living doesn’t mean you have to sit still.