Burn calories while sat at your desk, can i log these plz

erintumbridge

I saw this and had to ask, thought it would be fun and good to know if you are sat at your desk all day like i am:

This is an article taken from Cosmopolitan:

Chained to your desk all day? Too much sitting is linked to obesity and heart disease, according to new research published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, so keep chair chub at bay with these easy exercises from Doug Sklar, a personal trainer and owner of DHS Personal Fitness in New York City. Spend 30 seconds on each of the following moves, and try to do the mini workout several times a day (sounds like a lot, but the whole routine takes just two minutes total).

Experts also recommend taking quick breaks to walk around if possible—even if it’s as simple as stopping by a coworker’s desk to ask her a question instead of emailing her, or running out for lunch rather than ordering in. And these exercises are no replacement for a real workout (sorry!), so don’t cancel your gym membership.

Exercise 1: The Chair Dip

Targets: Arms, core

While sitting in your chair, place each hand firmly in the center of the armrests. Lift your feet a few inches off the ground and engage your stomach muscles. Then press down with your hands to raise your body up off the chair, until your arms are straight. Hold for one count, then lower into the chair. Repeat for thirty seconds. (Warning: Only do this exercise if your chair has sturdy arm rests that are strong enough to bear your body weight.)

Exercise 2: The Desk Pushup

Targets: Arms, shoulders

Stand up and face your desk. Place your hands shoulder-width apart against the edge, and then step back so you’re about three feet away from the desk. Keeping your back and legs in a straight line, do pushups against the desk. Lower down until your chest almost touches the edge, and then push yourself back up. Repeat.

Exercise 3: The Seated Reverse Crunch

Targets: Core, inner thighs

Scoot forward so that you’re closer to the edge of your seat than to the back, and place your hands on the armrests. Put your knees together and slowly pull them up off the ground as close to your chest as you can get them. Hold for a beat, then slowly lower down. Try to keep your back straight, rather than rocking back and forth. Repeat.

Exercise 4: The Seat Squat

Targets: Legs, butt

Push your chair back and stand a few inches in front of it. Your butt should be facing the chair, your feet hip width apart. Hold your arms out straight in front of you, and then slowly bend your knees and lower down, so that your butt goes backward, as if you’re about to sit down in the chair. Keep your weight on your heels, and as soon as you feel the chair graze your backside, stand back up—don’t relax into the seat. Repeat.

And

Burn 150 calories without leaving your desk - Cosmopolitan
It's so hard to find the motivation to hit the gym after work. But, a new study shows you can get in your workout while you're at still at work. We asked ACE Certified Advanced Personal Trainer Renita Brannan to give us a few at-work exercises that torch calories without ever leaving your cube.
Seated strong woman

Stretch your spine and work your core with this simple desk chair move. First, pull your body away from the chair back so you're sitting with a long spine. Then, take 10 deep breaths. With each exhale, pull your belly "in" to your back, like you would during a crunch. You'll feel totally relaxed afterward.

Estimated calories burned: 15.

TeaBea

NO - do not log calories burned at your desk (IMO).

When you signed up for MFP you entered your activity level...........sitting at your desk (sedentary) already gives you extra calories. Did Cosmo SUBTRACT these calories from the 150 calorie "guesstimate"?........doesn't sound like it.


If you want to log 10 desk push ups, or 10 bathroom squats....go ahead. 2 minutes of exercise is better than none........but no way is it 150 calories worth.

Edited - Are you supposed to do this routine 10 times a day maybe? .......10 x 15 = 150 calories. I don't think I'm going to be challenged by 30 seconds of anyone of these exercises.

bumblebreezy91

NO - do not log calories burned at your desk

When you signed up for MFP you entered your activity level...........sitting at your desk (sedentary) already gives you extra calories. Did Cosmo SUBTRACT these calories from the 150 calorie "guesstimate"?........doesn't sound like it.


If you want to log 10 desk push ups, or 10 bathroom squats....go ahead. 2 minutes of exercise is better than none........but no way is it 150 calories worth.

This.

KendleX

Tap foot to music.. 1 cal per hour., I'm sure of it. Throw on some Pantera and double tap.

</sarcasm>

erintumbridge

Thanks guys, i was just interested in what other people's take on this was. Yeh i think its 10 times per day. I dont think its very challenging but if you are in a position maybe, working late, no time that day for "real" exercise, running, walking, kicking boxing (in my case) i was thinking that something is better than nothing and if you have a quiet few minutes .... why not But i wouldn't want to be unrealistic about calories burned from doing these either. It was just an example that i found :happy:

Morgaath

When I started I listed myself as sedentary...and still do...but now I get up 2-3 times a day and walk for about 10 minutes, I take the stairs rather than elevator, I walk the long way to get to the break room (About 100 extra steps each way), and I park on the far side of the lot.
I was averaging about 4,000 steps per when i started. I now average over 10,000.
If you look at my ticker below, you can see an example of my daily activity. That low flat line is me at my desk, couch, or bed. Anything else means I got up, and the higher it goes the more calories per minute burned. The thick line behind the runner, that would be me getting up and walking around the parking lot on a nice day. The two thin ones over the runner are me getting up for coffee and a meeting.

erintumbridge

Tap foot to music.. 1 cal per hour., I'm sure of it. Throw on some Pantera and double tap.

</sarcasm>

There is always room for sarcasm in my posts KendleX, Why not lets add that too

erintumbridge

When I started I listed myself as sedentary...and still do...but now I get up 2-3 times a day and walk for about 10 minutes, I take the stairs rather than elevator, I walk the long way to get to the break room (About 100 extra steps each way), and I park on the far side of the lot.
I was averaging about 4,000 steps per when i started. I now average over 10,000.
If you look at my ticker below, you can see an example of my daily activity. That low flat line is me at my desk, couch, or bed. Anything else means I got up, and the higher it goes the more calories per minute burned. The thick line behind the runner, that would be me getting up and walking around the parking lot on a nice day. The two thin ones over the runner are me getting up for coffee and a meeting.

Good for you Morgaath and here's to your continued efforts! :happy:

Morgaath

What I am trying to say is, if you are a couch potato and desk jockey, who is now getting up and moving more, because a bit of moving is good, but hey, it is just a walk, doesn't really count for anything.... and hey, an additional 120 cals a day doesn't sound like much, but when you are limiting yourself to 1200/day, that is 10% of your intake burnt because you got up 3 times and went for a 10 minute walk around the building. (10 min at 2mph for 190lb me is 36 cals....I normally do 3-3.5 in the building, and 3.5-4 outside)

So now, you eat your 1200 (designed to give you a 1000 deficit), but burn off an additional 120, so you are netting in 1080...oh, but most days you don't even get to 1200, so really it is more like 975.... But hey, you are only counting the physical activity that happens in a gym as being worth recording...
And you are wondering why you are hungry and tired all the time, and more likely to give in and binge...

And really, go out on one of those epic 5 hour shopping trips with the wife, where you hit every single store in 2 malls, 16,000 steps because the clearance stuff is always in the back of the stores, carrying bags, hey, that is just shopping...you didn't burn any extra calories, right? You are still sedentary, right? I learned...I take protein bars and bottles of water with me now.