Working Out at Work

If you work in technology, administration or communications, according to definitions used by the Social Security Administration, you have a sedentary job. You’re among roughly 80% of Americans, according to a recent Bureau of Labor Statistics survey. This could be why about half of American workers blame weight gain on their job or work environment. Whether it’s work or not, most of us will begin to gain about a pound per year, every year, after the age of 25, unless we’re very careful and consistent in our battle against it. If you’re one of the millions of Americans who spends most of the work day behind a desk or behind a wheel, don’t fret. At the risk drawing a little attention to yourself, there are several exercises you can work into your workday. Here are just few ideas: Tighten and release your stomach muscles ten times every hour. When you take a restroom break, sit to stand ten times, using either the toilet or your office chair. Take 5-8lb hand weights to the office and use them to do bicep curls and triceps overhead extensions, lateral raises and weighted seated side-bends several times each day. Even if you’re behind the wheel, think isometrics. You can tighten and release your pelvic floor and gluteal muscles throughout the day. You can even raise your toes and do seated calf raises every time you stop. From an office chair, you can push your body weight up, using your hands on the sturdy arms of your chair. You can use your desk to do modified push-ups and dips. Any able-bodied person can do Hindu Squats in as much space as it takes to stand. Think about using a fit ball in place of your office chair. By so doing, you can work your core all day long. Our bodies are designed to move, not only for 40 uninterrupted minutes 3-5 days per week, but throughout the day, every day. As our world becomes more brain powered, and less brawn-powered, we are wise to seek out and find ways to incorporate deliberate movement into our workday. Like some of our brilliantly inspired elementary school teachers who offer “brain break” opportunities for kids to stand up, dance, jump and move during the academic blocks, maybe the time has come for us to embrace something similar in the workplace. If all of the people in the office can get with the program, none of us would feel out of place doing modified planks, leaned into the table in the breakroom or taking the stairs two or three times, instead of just once. I challenge you to become a leader where you work and start a fitness trend.