Unless you have a physical job, during a normal working day, it can sometimes seem as though you hardly move.
This is especially true for people working to a deadline or from home when there aren’t many reasons to move around.
How often do you do some movement, grab some air, and stretch your legs then realise how much better you feel? You feel better because you are better. Energy is released and blood flow increases making you feel more alert and happier.
It is important to be proactive with your activity and if you are in the office, support each other. Try setting up weekly team challenges and make the activity fun.
Here are some ideas to get fitter at work for you to try:
1. Stand up
Sit-stand desks are becoming popular, and rightly so, but they are only as good as the person using them. Standing regularly has lots of befits here are six to get you started.
Six benefits of standing at work
- Burns calories. Standing will burn more calories than than being sat down, even if you just stand stand still.
- Gives you an energy burst.
- Improves your posture.
- Reduces and prevents back pain.
- Improves your circulation.
- Boosts your mood and focus.
Sooooooooooo STAND UP!
2. Walking
If you want to lose weight from walking, you would normally need to burn an additional 500 calories a day in order to lose a pound a week. If you walk 10,000 steps a day, then you would burn approximately 300-400 calories.
Regular physical activity, such as walking 10,000 steps a day, leads to lower glucose and insulin response after a meal. Walking increases boost your heart health and tones your whole body. Your legs and glutes get a good workout and if you pump your arms as you walk it helps to work those too.
3. Squatting
When you sit for lengthy periods, your body gets used to that position and you can feel as if you are seized up.
Squatting can increase your range of movement and your strength. You can squat holding onto a desk or a wall to assist you.
If you have back pain you may have a reduced range of motion in your hips or your ankles. Doing so squats during the day can increase the range of motion in these two joints. You may find it slightly uncomfortable to begin with, but it will get easier as your range of movement improves.
4. Leg extensions
A good addition or alternative to squats are leg extensions. You can do leg extensions whilst sitting at your desk.
Sit up tall and simply stretch one leg out, place it back down and repeat on the other side. As you straighten your leg your body secretes synovial fluid to lubricate the knee so when you stand, squat, or walk it feels easier. It’s also less stressful on your knees if you suffer with knee problems.
Be proactive
Being proactive is the key and try them all as they all have slightly different health benefits.
Good luck and stay active. If you don’t use it, you lose it 😉