5 easy ways to exercise at work

By MiNDFOOD

5 easy ways to exercise at work
Weave these simple fitness take-outs into into your workday and you could be getting fitter before you know it!

The best part about these exercises is that they’re so easy to achieve. Not much pain for quite a bit of gain. Repetition is the key. A great idea is to set reminders on your calendar. It’s easy to get swept up in your work and forget your deskercises! This way you can effectively do both, alleviating work stress and probably performing your work tasks better than ever.

  1. Don’t waste those minutes by the photocopier or printer waiting around in frustration. Breathe in and out deeply, raise your arms high above your head, place your chin to your chest, and enjoy a deep stretch. Repeat. Your day of exercising has begun. If you’re waiting on a massive stash of paper to print, do some calf raises.
  1. Does your job involve lots of walking around? Attach ankle weights and off you go. You’re on your way to building strength, while still getting your usual job done. Is your role more sedentary, leaving you stuck at a desk for hours at a time? Leg raises are your best friend. Alternatively, bring a small dumbbell to work, speak on loudspeaker if possible and get some bicep or shoulder strengthening repetitions in.
  2.  Speaking of sitting, bring an exercise ball to work and swap it for your chair. Yes, you may feel ridiculous on day one, but by day two it will become a familiar sight to your workmates and by day three someone else might be balancing along with you. Good posture will help strengthen your core and alleviate lower back pain.
  1. Skip your trip to the café a few times a week, bringing your own lunch in. Then use that extra 15-mins or so of time saved to sprint up and down the stairs in HIIT (high intensity interval training) mode. A New Zealand study last year that found when overweight adults undertook HIIT (high intensity interval training) they could improve their fitness as effectively as those undertaking conventional walking programs, within a shorter time.
  1. The Sit then Squat involves standing with legs slightly apart and then sitting, stand by pushing up on your heels and sit down again. Repeat five times. Do this twice a day at least.
  2. Want to get out of the office? These effective exercises can be done in under 15 minutes.

 

Don’t forget to set a reminder and if you can, walk home or park a few blocks from the train station. Happy Training!

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