The woes of working at a desk

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JessaWannaEatEverything
JessaWannaEatEverything Posts: 106 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Like a lot of people I'm at a desk 8-10 hours a day. On top of that I have an hour commute both ways, so 12 hours a day before watching Game of Thrones or Walking Dead.

I'm looking for tips/tricks to stay fit at the office.

Things I've done so far
-I bought a sit/stand desk, and a wobble board
-Go on walks when I can
-"car crunches"

Also, has anyone tried the bicycle desks? Under-desk Elliptical? Other random things people are trying to sell to us office peeps?
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Replies

  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
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    all i do is make sure my breaks and lunch are spent being active, walking etc. lots of trips to the printer and fax, stand as often as possible. desk jobs suck
  • Wickedfaery73
    Wickedfaery73 Posts: 184 Member
    edited May 2016
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    I feel your pain. I have the same problems I am tied to a desk all day long, hour long commute each way, Walking Dead addiction... Well that last one isn't so bad =D I use my breaks and lunch to walk. I am too self conscious
    to do much else while at work LOL
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    As a cyclist, I can't understand why anyone would buy a "bicycle desk."

    My watch yells at me if I don't move enough after an hour. When it does, unless I'm in a meeting or heading to one, I'll get up and go for a 5 minute walk. People assume I have to pee a lot, I'm sure, but nobody is going to fire me for it. Some days I make it a game, try to get up after 59 minutes so the thing never yells at me, but without hurting my productivity. I spend my lunch hour walking. I have a loop I do.

    I used to commute by bike. That was great, it woke me up in the morning and got my heart pumping on the way home. I didn't hate commuting when I did that. I'd get home and feel like I had a lot of extra time because I already got my exercise for the day. It was wonderful! :smile: Then the company moved 20 miles to the north, and I get here at 7 am. :confounded:
  • williammuney
    williammuney Posts: 2,895 Member
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    I have a Stand up desk
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
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    I just eat properly and work out when I'm not working. The desk time is rest time. I do like to walk around, though.
  • TravisJHunt
    TravisJHunt Posts: 533 Member
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    I agree with most of the folks here, walks when you can and get up as much as possible. If I ever run a company, I'll make it mandatory to do 50% of all meetings outside walking!
  • tahxirez
    tahxirez Posts: 270 Member
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    Lots of bathroom breaks and walking to find people rather than emailing. Also I rarely sit when home unless I'm eating dinner or the last hour before bed. I try to stay active until the last possible moment. Sometimes that means I watch on demand or netflix while I clean/cook.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    Go to the gym before/during/after work like everyone else on the planet.
  • kpeterson539
    kpeterson539 Posts: 220 Member
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    NorthCascades wrote: »
    As a cyclist, I can't understand why anyone would buy a "bicycle desk."

    My watch yells at me if I don't move enough after an hour. When it does, unless I'm in a meeting or heading to one, I'll get up and go for a 5 minute walk. People assume I have to pee a lot, I'm sure, but nobody is going to fire me for it. Some days I make it a game, try to get up after 59 minutes so the thing never yells at me, but without hurting my productivity. I spend my lunch hour walking. I have a loop I do.

    I used to commute by bike. That was great, it woke me up in the morning and got my heart pumping on the way home. I didn't hate commuting when I did that. I'd get home and feel like I had a lot of extra time because I already got my exercise for the day. It was wonderful! :smile: Then the company moved 20 miles to the north, and I get here at 7 am. :confounded:

    @NorthCascades ...... what type of watch do you have?
  • bassclef19
    bassclef19 Posts: 53 Member
    edited May 2016
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    Same here. I went from working downtown in the city, which was still a desk job, but I would drive to the train station (20 minutes) and the rest of the daily commuting downtown was on foot. Now I work and live in the suburbs. Drive to work 1.5 hours each way. There's been a huge difference with weight gain. Before, I was able to keep it off because I was more active throughout the day.

    Here are my suggestions:
    - walking on lunch
    - walk to someone's desk instead of sending an email to a colleague in the office
    - take public transit to work
    - get a pedometer or fitbit and make step goals 10K a day
    - stand up desk
    - Longer workout sessions at the gym :neutral:
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
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    Another desk jockey here. I get up every hour and take a walk. At lunchtime I go outside and walk (rain or shine). I go to the gym on my way home from work, and on the days I don't go to the gym, I either go for a run, take a walk when I get home. If the weather's too nasty for that, I'll go down to the basement and watch TV while I'm on the treadmill.
  • giantrobot_powerlifting
    giantrobot_powerlifting Posts: 2,598 Member
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    JessaWannaEatEverything wrote: »
    Like a lot of people I'm at a desk 8-10 hours a day. On top of that I have an hour commute both ways, so 12 hours a day before watching Game of Thrones or Walking Dead.

    I'm looking for tips/tricks to stay fit at the office.

    Things I've done so far
    -I bought a sit/stand desk, and a wobble board
    -Go on walks when I can
    -"car crunches"

    Also, has anyone tried the bicycle desks? Under-desk Elliptical? Other random things people are trying to sell to us office peeps?
    I get up every 15 minutes. Take walk around the office like an office creeper at least every hour, and try to work in some hip mobility work and SMR with an extra LaX ball on my shoulders/triceps against the wall in my office.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    kpeterson539 wrote: »
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    As a cyclist, I can't understand why anyone would buy a "bicycle desk."

    My watch yells at me if I don't move enough after an hour. When it does, unless I'm in a meeting or heading to one, I'll get up and go for a 5 minute walk. People assume I have to pee a lot, I'm sure, but nobody is going to fire me for it. Some days I make it a game, try to get up after 59 minutes so the thing never yells at me, but without hurting my productivity. I spend my lunch hour walking. I have a loop I do.

    I used to commute by bike. That was great, it woke me up in the morning and got my heart pumping on the way home. I didn't hate commuting when I did that. I'd get home and feel like I had a lot of extra time because I already got my exercise for the day. It was wonderful! :smile: Then the company moved 20 miles to the north, and I get here at 7 am. :confounded:

    @NorthCascades ...... what type of watch do you have?

    Garmin Fenix 3. I like it very much. :)
  • SomeShenanigans
    SomeShenanigans Posts: 27 Member
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    Seriously considering going for a hospital patient transport or some kind of activity job soon. I'm so tired of sitting at a desk all day. I have a personal business on the side of my 9-5 and I barely have enough time for that, work, /and/ work-out sessions that are longer than an hour.

    I also don't get lunch breaks (we just eat while working) or any other sort of breaks here so basically I just go to the bathroom or make copies a lot because I get so tired of sitting but there's nothing to do that isn't in my damn seat.
  • JessaWannaEatEverything
    JessaWannaEatEverything Posts: 106 Member
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    Great ideas!

    I work out in the mornings, but I used to have a job that let me walk around all day. After a day of standing at a desk I still feel sooooo gross compared to my old job. That's why I was wondering about the biking desk, or the elliptical desk.

    @NorthCascades - why are you against bicycle desks? Just wondering
  • kingjethro
    kingjethro Posts: 17 Member
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    I'm in the same boat...I'm at a desk every day for 9-13 hours. My job doesn't require any need to get up during the day. The only way I've managed to stay fit is hit the gym every morning at 5 AM. Even with that and cycling 7-10 hours on the weekend, I can still gain weight if I'm not careful.

    The worst part is the weight always goes to my mid-section which is irritating considering the amount of cardio I do every week.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    The only thing I haven't seen mentioned already...I work on a multi-story building, 4th floor. I use the bathroom in the basement and take the stairs.
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
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    To build strength and flexibility in my feet and ankles, I've been using Yamuna Foot Wakers at work. These half round nubbled discs look like medieval torture devices, but they are effective. I stand on them several times during the day for about 10 minutes, usually while on conference calls. They come with a CD that provides an exercise routine designed to improve maneuverability. These have proven very effective as a self message tool to relieve tightness in my feet caused by running. The other benefit is they offer a stability challenge by causing you to tighten your core and glute muscles to maintain correct posture while standing on them.

    Finally, they are approved for civilian use by both Ramsey Bolton and Tyrion Lannister.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    edited May 2016
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    Work in an office too. Very long hours. 45 minute commute one way.
    I get up very early and go to the gym everyday. I have 10,000 steps on my fitbit before I get to the office. Park as far from the door as I can. Take the long way around when I get up from my desk, walk up and down the stairs every time I leave my desk. I have a standing desk. We don't take lunch breaks either (just adds to the hours at work) I eat breakfast and lunch at my desk. Take the dogs for a walk when I get home. I can not remember the last time I had under 20K at the end of the day. Where there is the will, you find a way.
  • JessaWannaEatEverything
    JessaWannaEatEverything Posts: 106 Member
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    Djproulx wrote: »
    To build strength and flexibility in my feet and ankles, I've been using Yamuna Foot Wakers at work. These half round nubbled discs look like medieval torture devices, but they are effective. I stand on them several times during the day for about 10 minutes, usually while on conference calls. They come with a CD that provides an exercise routine designed to improve maneuverability. These have proven very effective as a self message tool to relieve tightness in my feet caused by running. The other benefit is they offer a stability challenge by causing you to tighten your core and glute muscles to maintain correct posture while standing on them.

    Finally, they are approved for civilian use by both Ramsey Bolton and Tyrion Lannister.

    Hahaha - thanks @Djproulx I'll have to look those up!

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