Trying to burn calories at my 9-5 Office Job

garbagedog

I hope this doesn't sound snotty (it may) but when I see posts about people doing exercises at their desk/cubicle I just think it sounds kind of absurd. I definitely agree with walking around as much as possible throughout your work day...I too have a standard desk job, so I know it can be a challenge at times but you can always find ways to get a BIT more movement into your day. But for me personally, buying an under-desk cycling device or doing exercises at/near my desk would just feel embarrassing and strange...why not get in a workout before work or in the evening instead?

I use an under-desk pedaller for the bulk of my day. It was a little challenging at first, but it actually keeps me more focused now. For the record, I also get exercise in before work, but this has only been recently feasible. I'm a working mom of two young boys (one of whom is just now weaning from the breast), which means I don't get a lot of time to myself. Not everyone has the time to throw down an hour-long workout in the wee hours of the morning.

I also remember reading a few studies that suggested that being sedentary for so long every day is just bad for your health, even if you're in general good health. Here's an article from NPR: "But now, researchers are beginning to suspect that even if you engage in regular exercise daily, it may not be enough to counteract the effects of too much sitting during the rest of the day."
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/25/135575490/sitting-all-day-worse-for-you-than-you-might-think

So, I work out while I'm at my desk and get in between 1 and 2 hours of extra calorie burning every day (every bit counts). It's not embarrassing to me at all, either. In fact, I've had about 20 people in my office stop and ask about it. It has actually encouraged a few people to be more fit at their desks.