Time and money are one of the most priceless things we strive for. And honestly, we all feel that we have less of both. So, this becomes our ultimate obstacle when we think about staying fit. Yes! We are talking about workout for desk workers.
Some of the commonly heard statements are:
“I don’t have time to go to gym. I come home late from office.”
“I have a gym near my house but it’s expensive”
“Dieting? Are you serious? I am busy. I don’t have time to think about it.”
“Some say eat this; Some say don’t eat that. Making and following a diet plan is so confusing.”
And the list goes on…
So what is the solution? You can’t stop working. But, neither can you stay unfit. Thus, when you have to stretch at work, the solution is that you can also workout at work.
Confused? What we simply mean is exercises you can do at your desk. There are various ways in which you can workout at work to stay healthy and fit. And this has it’s own set of benefits.
Benefits of Office Workout:
- It is not going to burn a hole in your pocket. Infact, it is a great way to lose weight from your body while increasing weight of your pocket.
- It saves you precious time that you might have had to spend at gym before/after office hours.
- It is a great way to burst stress. This might help you be more productive at work.
Now, let’s look at 5 simple office exercises you can do at work to stay fit.
1. Skip the Elevator; Take the Stairs.
This is one of the best office workout ideas that you can use even before you reach your work desk. The moment you reach office, the first thing that comes to mind is – “Hurry up to catch the elevator”. I know it’s very tempting and feels really convenient. But, if you really want to stay fit, this is the first habit you need to change. Unless there’s a dire need, avoid using the elevator. Take the stairs and burn some calories.
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Benefit:
An average person weighing about 175 pounds can burn approximately 20 calories in the 2 minutes taken to climb the stairs. And if the same person takes that 60 second comfort ride in the elevator, the calories burnt are about 2. So, you want to burn 2 calories or 20 calories, the choice is yours to make. In addition to burning calories, climbing stairs is a good cardio exercise that can also help strengthen your muscles.
2. Stretch, Raise and Squat
Working for multiple hours at a stretch? Then it’s time to stretch. When you are sitting at your workstation, continuously gazing into your computer, it is eminent that you will get tired. And plus, sitting for long hours everyday, also leads to weight gain, as you are not burning the calories consumed during your breakfast or lunch. Wondering what to do? Well, you can try the following simple workout tips at office to stay fit:
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Stand up near your desk and raise your arms upward. Then spread ‘n’ stretch your fingers to relax the tense muscles. You can repeat the same with your arms stretched down and forward.
Stand facing your office desk/chair, hold it from a distance of about 2 feet and perform simple sit-ups.
Benefit:
This will help you burn calories and strengthen your legs and calf muscles.
3. Office Yoga
Yoga is known to have miraculous effects on your body and mind. Be it strengthening muscles or be it busting the stress, yoga can be your ultimate key to unlock your door to fitness.
Though there are a numerous postures one can perform in yoga but let’s have a look at the most easy and simple of yoga exercise that you can perform in office – Breathing. Yes, something as simple as proper breathing can have a major positive impact on your fitness.
Just sit in your chair, relax your shoulders and close your eyes. Now take a deep breath and hold it. Count till 4 while holding your breath. And finally release it at a slow pace while counting till 8. Repeat this process for 10 minutes.
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Benefit:
This will refresh your mind and relieve your stress. Deep breathing regularly will also increase the oxygen intake in your body that can inturn help in burning calories.
4. Just Lift it and walk around.
Yes! You got it right. It’s as simple as it sounds. From office files to folders and from your laptop to your office stationery, just lift things and walk the corridors. You can also stand at your desk, lift your laptop/files and raise your arms up and down.
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Benefit:
Lifting light to medium weight and walking around will not only help you burn calories but will also make you feel light and refreshing.
5. Stay fit while you Sit
You can perform many exercises while just sitting in your office chair. Let’s look at 3 simple ones.
Leg extensions – Just sit in your chair, extend your left leg to bring it up to your hip level. Hold it at that position till you are comfortable and then just relax it. Repeat the same process with the right leg. 5 reps for each leg should be good enough.
Neck Rolling – Sit in an upright position in your office chair. Close your eyes and drop your chin down to your chest. Now start moving your neck in a circular motion clockwise. Do it 4 to 5 times. Then, repeat this exercise anti-clockwise.
Spinal Twist – With your feet flat on floor, just sit sideways in your chair with your hands on the arm of the chair. Twist your waist to the right looking towards the back of the chair. Repeat this process for left side as well.
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Benefit:
This is a great stress-buster and helps relax body muscles.
So, staying fit, while you are loaded with work, is no more a luxury. And neither is it a rocket science. It’s simple, easy and comes at no monetary cost. All you need to do is be regular and stay strong-willed.
