Tag Archive for: Office Workout

Why It’s Important To Keep Fit With An Office Job

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In this day and age, we do a lot of sitting. We sit at the table or on the couch to drink our coffee in the morning. We sit in the car to drive to work. We sit at our desk all day at the office job, only to come home and plop on the couch.

That much sitting isn’t good for bodies that were designed to spend most of their time walking around to hunt and gather. It’s no surprise then that we now face a slew of health issues caused at least in part by our sedentary lifestyle.

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Exercise Will Help Prevent Back and Neck Issues 

Sitting hunched over your desk typing way for hours on end can cause all sorts of back and neck issues. Taking the time to move more, stand up, and stretch frequently, and taking a brisk walk at lunchtime can do a lot to balance that out. If you’re starting to notice some issues from sitting too much or simply want to be proactive, it’s a good idea to make an effort to move more on a daily basis. Wear a pedometer, or set yourself a timer to remind you to get up every 30 minutes, and stretch or walk around. Small changes and simple exercises you can do right at your desk can make a big difference in how you feel.

 

Moving More and Keeping Your Weight In Check Prevents Chronic Illnesses

I don’t have to tell you that being overweight and out of shape is bad for your health. They bring with it an increased risk for a wide range of chronic illnesses from heart disease and stroke to hip and knee trouble to name a few. Prevent them or at least reduce your risk greatly by getting in shape and keeping your weight under control.

Exercise and Good Nutrition Strengthens Your Immune System 

Eating a healthy diet and working out regularly not only prevent major health issues as discussed above, they keep your body in better overall shape. They also ensure that your immune system is up to the job of fighting off colds, flu, and other “minor” infections. That means you’ll stay healthier throughout the year and that means fewer sick days.

Walking And Fresh Air Clear Your Head And Increase Productivity 

Last but not least, there’s nothing better than getting outside in the fresh air and sunshine for a brisk walk to clear your head. When you’re spending a little time throughout your workday taking care of your body and mind, it will reward you with increased focus and productivity. That means that even though you’re taking time for non-work related tasks, you actually end up getting more work done throughout the day.

Keep Healthy Snacks In Your Desk To Not Eat Junk

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We all have days when we have to run out the door without breakfast, end up working through lunch or have to stay at the office much later than anticipated. Missing important meals like breakfast lunch or dinner has us heading to the office vending machine or hitting the fast food drive-through to grab some junk food. We know this food isn’t good for us and won’t help us to stay fit and healthy. But what choice do we have?

Actually, we have a choice. We can choose to be prepared for these meal emergencies with a small stockpile of healthy snacks. You can keep all sorts of healthy snacks in your desk from nuts and seeds to energy bars and even fresh fruits and veggies. All it takes is a little bit of preparation and planning.

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Come up with a few non-perishable, but healthy snacks and drinks that you can keep in your desk at all time. This could include nuts, seeds, and dried fruit and even a few special treats like a bar of dark chocolate. All natural energy bars are a great choice on days when you have to skip a meal. Herbal and black teas along with bottled water are nice to have around for a healthy drink that feels more like a treat.

If you know you’ll need a snack, pack it with your lunch in the morning. A few fresh veggies and a bit of hummus, or a fresh fruit like an apple or a banana make for healthy snacking. A bit of cheese or a hard-boiled egg are other good options that are packed with protein and will keep you full until your next meal. Keep it simple, stick to real food as much as possible, and choose things that are easy to grab and go. Come up with a short list of easy to prepare snacks that you enjoy and stay stocked up on them. If you keep it simple, it won’t take you more than a minute or two to prepare and pack your snack in the morning.

Of course, missing lunch or long meetings in the evening aren’t the only times you’ll be tempted by junk food. Your healthy food emergency stash will also come in handy when you’re feeling tired and stressed and just need a little snack, or when the box of cookies or pizza in the break room is calling your name. Trust me, it’s much easier to resist the temptation when you’re munching on a tasty, healthy snack.

How Moving More And Sitting Less Can Increase Your Productivity

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Have you ever been hunched over your desk, glued to your chair for hours on end trying to finish a project on time? When we’re working hard, or facing a tight deadline, our instinct is to put as much time as possible in, working fast and furious. And it works, for a while…

Then it starts to catch up with you. Your mind is tired, the work doesn’t flow the way it did in the beginning. This is when you have a choice to make. You can walk away for a bit, clear your head and come back refreshed and ready to get back to work. Or you can tough it out and keep plugging away. You may be surprised to learn that walking away, going for a walk, and just moving around will help you work faster and better when you sit back down at your desk.

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And this isn’t just true during crunch time. Moving more and spending less time sitting at your desk can help your productivity throughout your work week. Anytime you take a break to do a few stretches and exercises, go for a stroll through the building, or even leave for a quick walk outside, you come back refreshed and with more focus. Additionally, “losing” time that you spent moving around forces you to focus and get things done. Work has a tendency to expand to whatever amount of time you give it. By taking away some of that time, and using it to workout and move more, you’re simply making yourself work more efficiently when you do sit at your desk. In other words, it can be in your best interest to spend less time in your office chair.

Give it a try the next time you’re stuck on a task, or the work simply doesn’t flow as it should. Get up and move around. Go for a walk and clear your head. Get your body moving and blood pumping through your body including your brain. Then come back to your work task. You’ll notice that suddenly the work goes much smoother and you have no trouble getting into the flow. You’re able to focus and concentrate much better and your productivity soars.

There are two reasons for this. The first is that the exercise as mentioned increases blood flow and more oxygen is transported to the brain. More importantly, though, during the time you spent moving around, your brain didn’t really stop working on the task you set it. Your subconscious and possibly also your conscious mind where working things out, allowing you to sit down and take care of business upon your return.

5 Simple Ways To Move More During Your Work Day

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When you’re working an office job, it can be a bit of a challenge to get enough physical activity in. After all, there’s only so much you can do after work and on the weekend to balance out all the sitting you do at work. The key then is to make an effort to move more during your workday. Here are five easy and simple ways to do just that.

One of the easiest things you can do is to simply take breaks throughout the day and move around. Use them to walk to the break room, to walk over to a coworker’s desk, or just stroll around the office building while figuring out the best way to tackle your latest work project.

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Here’s another idea. Make it a habit to walk around during phone calls. There’s no reason to sit at your desk while you talk. Stand up, grab the phone, and stroll through our office. Not only does it help you move more and sit less, you’ll sound more energized and enthusiastic to the person on the other end. Give it a try.

You don’t have to wait until you get to your desk to make an effort to move more. Start your day by parking a little further away and walking into the office building. Once there, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Taking a few extra steps here and there may not seem like much, but all those little steps add up and they add up quickly.

Another great strategy is to go for a short walk during your lunch break. If you bring your own lunch, it will leave you with plenty of time to head out to a local park, or a quick walk around the block. Not only will this help you boost your daily activity, walking at lunch time will also leave you energized and ready to tackle the rest of your workday.

If you’re feeling really adventurous, consider taking walking meetings. Instead of sitting across a desk from your client or colleague, suggest the two of you take a short walk while you talk things over. There’s a long tradition of these types of meetings. They can be both pleasant and productive.

As you can see, you can make some small tweaks and changes to your workday that allow you to move more. If you’re curious to see how much more you end up walking, put on a pedometer and start keeping track of your daily steps.

3 Great Reasons To Pack Your Lunch

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When was the last time you packed your lunch? It may have been a while, but today I want to inspire you to get in the kitchen and come up with something delicious that you can take to work with you tomorrow. Packing your own lunch has a lot of benefits. Here are three of the main reasons why you should start bringing your own food.

You Control The Ingredients And Portions 

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There’s a problem with both prepackaged food and restaurant food, particularly the dishes served in fast food places. You don’t know what’s in it and much of it isn’t particularly healthy. When you pack your own lunch and prepare the food that goes into your lunch box yourself, you know exactly what you’re eating. That means you have full control of not only the ingredients but also the quality of produce.

You can put together a healthy lunch that will give you the energy to make it through the workday. Since you’re fixing it yourself, you also control how much food you’ll have. This prevents overeating and the dreaded afternoon slump.

It Saves Time (and Money) 

Going out for lunch can eat up a lot of time. When you prepare your food at home and bring it with you, you can sit down, eat, and still have plenty of time leftover to go for a relaxing walk, read a book, or make a few personal phone calls on your lunch break. As an added bonus, a packed lunch is almost always cheaper than eating out.

Since you’ll be eating lunch every workday, the time and money savings quickly add up over the course of a week and month. Just think about how much more you can get done, and what you can do with the extra money you’re saving by packing your lunch.

It Makes Eating Healthy Easier 

Finding healthy food on the go isn’t always easy. Add to that the fact that you may be tempted by not-so-healthy choices on the menu and it’s no wonder eating a healthy lunch while out and about is hard.

Make it easy on yourself by packing your lunch. You can make healthy choices for yourself in the morning when your willpower is strong. Come lunch time, you simply dig into that delicious salad, sandwich, or wrap that’s actually good for you. I hope I have inspired you to give packing your own healthy lunches a try. I’m sure as you put this into practice you’ll find all sorts of other advantages to bringing your own food to the office.