Full time desk job, What to do for exercise?

rmac18

Work out during lunch. That's what I do almost every work day. Bring clothes, do a 45 minute workout, clean up and back in an hour. No problem. This way I am assured of a good workout at least 5 days a week and sometimes I'll also get a bike ride or run in the evening (I'm not a morning person but that's always an option too). I just find that if I establish a routine then it's easier to stick to it. Plus the other benefit of working out over lunch is I tend to eat less and better. I usually have a protein bar after the workout and I often pack some healthy snacks for morning and mid afternoon so I don't get too hungry. It's worked well for me.

EmilyOfTheSun

Definitely work out before work!

cutchro

Wake at 4:30 have coffee and steel cut oats
out the door at 5
arrive at gym onsite at 6
hit locker room/shower 7:45
at desk by 8:20 for 8:30 start time
work till 5
Home at 6
bed at 9

heatherlee1124

Do leg lifts at the edge of your chair. Do push ups in your chair using the sides and feet planted almost like you cant decide it you want to sit or stand. I also agree with the Kegel Get up and do laps if you can get away from the desk, sweep, clean windows, move chairs and dust. I am not a morning person, so getting up early is NOT an option. When you go home to hang and watch the news, sit on an exercise ball. At commercials get off that and do squats, push ups, sit ups, leg lifts whatever. My husband and I do it now as a competition to see who can do more during commercial break. Hope this helps.

bcattoes

I'm not a morning person so I do mine after work (desk job for 30 years!). But there have been periods over those years where I worked out in the morning. If you are too tired after work, then morning sounds like it would work for you.

I have an office with a door so I also do 2 mini-workouts during my morning and afternoon breaks that include squats, pushups (on the floor and against the desk) as well as some low impact aerobic moves.

I'm assuming you get a lunch, so you could also take a walk or bike ride then, or go to a gym if one is nearby.

annabell48

I don't know if your building is single story or multiple stories. If there's more than 1 floor in your building, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Go for walks on your lunch hour. When I was working first shift as a shop rat, I'd get up early to get my workout done prior to work because I knew I would let myself down by not doing it after work due to all the excuses out there.

sofitheteacup

You phrased it that your "longest days" are 9-7: is this every day, or just a couple of days a week?
I work in school administration and often work 7-5, and waking up early is simply not an option for me, but getting to the gym at 5:30 (when I hate how busy it is) is pretty much my only option. But when I don't want to deal with the people, I go home or work late, and go to the gym around 7 or so: as an added benefit, our gyms have TVs, so I can watch prime time shows while I get in my cardio. For some people, working out after about 7pm or so just wakes them up too much and it's difficult to fall asleep afterward, but I would give it a try for a week or so and see how it goes. A lot of this also depends on what time you go to sleep, or if you have other obligations like children, to attend to after work, but I didn't see anything on that.

BlueJean4114

this thread contains links to watch a most fascinating documentary, called "Weight of the Nation"
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/697736--weight-of-the-nation

and one of the 4 parts
contains some highlights on some various companies who began their very own fitness programs,
which i found VERY inspirational. I learned a lot about losing weight, fitness, what sorts out those who MAINTAIN their weight loss from the majority who tend to put it all back on again, how differently one who HAS ever been overweight has to eat, compared to someone else who never was overweight, etc. ...........can't watch that series without learning SOMETHING. Some VERY inspirational people in those films, too. I STILL think about some of the remarks i heard in those films.

anyway,

One of them, now a company-wide fitness program,
that even includes "vegetable of the week" that eveyrone checks off when they've eaten it, (how cute)
and has everyone doing lil workouts together,
taking walks together,
taking turns bringing in and sharing low-calorie treats,
everyone there focusing on getting healthy, egging each on, to stick with it all,
even having fitness meetings to discuss how to lose weight/stay fit,
despite their desk jobs,
was
all
started by
one (1) woman who worked there and saw how her desk job was ruining her health..

worth a watch, was pretty darn cool, imo.

carolannew

Full time desk job here too - 7:30-4. I work in a union shop, so the guys get mandatory breaks at 10 and 2, and I take my 15 minute breaks then as well. I meet my husband on many of the breaks - he works right down the road - and we catch up for a little as we walk. If he's too busy, I usually walk a little further .

I have also, for the past 2+ months, been biking to and from work. It's turned from a 5 mile ride into usually around a 10 mile ride, as I'm gaining strength. I'm excited to see how long into winter I'm going to be able to keep it up.

good luck. Time management is a game, along with everything else!!!

Carol

sr823204

This article gives suggestions: http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/exercise-at-your-desk

Best wishes :flowerforyou:

THANK YOU!!! I too have a desk job and I've been trying to find things I can do while I sitting here.

lesliev523

I am just starting the routine, but so far I LOVE morning workouts. I never thought I would say it!

I have a desk job, and I work from 7am - 5pm in the summer.... right now I get up at 4:45, roll out of bed and to the gym by a little after 5am.... cardio for an hour. I go back at lunch or right after work for strength training. I know that is a lot, but I am pretty committed.

I would start by even going for a 20-30 minute walk in the morning before you go to work.... and maybe another at lunch.

tnjackso1

I go to spinning at 0530 and walk during my breaks then after work do supreme 90 and to bed I go...that's MON-Thur....I rest on Friday and start again on saturday with zumba and spinning and sunday I hit supreme 90 hard.

You can do it just make time for yourself! One step at a time, one day at a time!

jach200

I find that at lunch i walk... Breaks up my day

misslegz

I have a desk job also and I wake every morning @ 5am and gets strenght training in and then right after work I am off for my hour run.

Walk on your lunch break too....anything is better than nothing!!

Once you get used to your time management it won't seem hard at all!!

JAllen32

Desk job here. I do bootcamp 4-6 days a week and run.

Vansy

I do mine before or after work, or split it sometimes. I work 4 days a week for 10-hour shifts. So long days are necessary sometimes. You just have to make it a priority.

There are also lots of apps now that will give you a little alarm reminding you to get up and do something (walk, do 10 squats, etc. etc.)

goalpeace

On part of your lunch hour. I too work at a desk all day (minus walking to the copy machine or an officer's office which I don't count). I already get up at 5:30 AM so morning exercise isn't for me. I have the good intention to exercise at night and I actually sometimes do. But more often I walk up the parking ramp next to my building on my lunch hourt. I'm not talking about going up the stairs. I actually walk up the ramp and that incline makes a much better workout than just walking.

First of all, I just want to congragulate the above poster on their success. WTG!

OP, I also have a desk job 8:30-5. I was working out after work when my family wouldn't beg me not to (lol...for some reason my hubby & kids can't get enough of me). I did this 2-3 times per week AFTER I did homework, made a full blown dinner recipe, & cleaned it all up. Phew!

I just started waking up half hour earlier than kids and i am doing Jillian's 30 Day Shred (I love Jillian!). It is working out phenomenally and I don't see going back! I fit in a run after work at the local track 2-4 times per week for 30-45 min ea. when I can. However, if I only get in 2 that week it's fine because I already did Jillian in the a.m.!!

Wabbit05

I work 8-5 at a desk job were most of the time, I'm doing nothing. After I get off, I pick up my kid and go straight to the gym. They have a kid klub at the gym that she loves. I consider it part of my schedule, my routine and therefore, will almost never miss it. If someone wants to make plans, I let them know I'm not available until after 7 since that's about the time I'm done and finally home. It works for me.

laurenellenmarie

A girl I used to know used one of those huge exercise balls as her office chair...could be an idea. I always work out in the bathroom! I'm the only girl at my job so I get the whole thing to myself. I do lunges from one side to the other and back and jumping jacks and high knees. I do this about every two hours...

kiminikimkim

Bring your running shoes & gym outfit and run at lunch! If you're working in a highrise, even better! Do flights of stairs.

I bring baby wipes and towel and clean myself afterwards. I once was caught washing my hair in the bathroom sink. I didn't care, I was getting fit.

cybelenoire

I sit at a desk from 8AM to 4:30PM, not to mention I spend 90 minutes a day in my car commuting.

I try to get up at 5AM (some days it's easier than others) and do a 20 minute yoga session. On mornings (two or three times a month) when I have to go in an hour earlier, I do the yoga session the night before.

I park 2 blocks away in a parking lot as opposed to the parking tower right next door, so I get 10 minutes of walking round trip between car and office. When the lot is closed, and I have to park in the tower, I walk down the ramps instead of using the stairs or the elevators and never park lower than the 4th level.

I have to go down two floors at least twice a day so I walk to the far end of the hallway, instead of the closer elevator. The stairs are only for emergency use or else I would use them.

I do some easy yoga stretches in the office, particularly the frog squat--sitting shortens the psoas and tightens hip flexors so this opens the hips somewhat. I've done warriors and downward dogs when no one is around. Even a couple of planks.

I work out in the afternoon (5PM-6PM) because I'm usually pretty stressed out and this helps to relieve that. Whether it's the gym, dance practice, or a long yoga session.

hunneric

Do you work too far from home to bike to work? That used to save my bacon before I started working from home (which has its own pitfalls). Initially I worked about 25 miles from home and I'd often get the train out and then ride back. It would take an hour and a half but it was a lot quicker than commute plus workout.

Or, have you tried running home in the evenings? If it's too far, can you get public transport part of the way.

There's not so many places that it's too hot/steep/snowbound to cycle at least part of the year.