What exercises can I do to burn calories while sitting at a

GLLove
GLLove Posts: 77
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
I sit on my butt at an office all day. Can anyone help me think of some "desk-ercises" to help burn cals as I work?

Replies

  • Froggy1976
    Froggy1976 Posts: 472
    me too...anyone?
  • MahalaDavis
    MahalaDavis Posts: 13 Member
    I have the same problem. I found a 20 minute resistance band workout that you can do sitting at your desk. I usually do it when our managers are in their morning meeting :) I'm pretty sure the day will come when they'll let out early and find me in some unflattering position and call 911 before I can explain lol.
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
    I have the same problem. I found a 20 minute resistance band workout that you can do sitting at your desk. I usually do it when our managers are in their morning meeting :) I'm pretty sure the day will come when they'll let out early and find me in some unflattering position and call 911 before I can explain lol.

    LOLOLOLOL.

    http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/exercise-at-your-desk
    http://www.diylife.com/2007/08/16/how-to-exercise-while-youre-stuck-at-your-desk/
    http://www.mastersinhealthcare.com/blog/2009/50-easy-ways-to-lose-weight-while-you-are-at-work/
  • beckystephens
    beckystephens Posts: 117 Member
    I walk on my breaks :)

    One block is a mile and takes 15-18 mins. I really try to get those two walks a day as i work in the fattest potluck office ever
  • do you have a closed office or a cubicle type thing? You could try arm exercises with small handweights
  • I don't know about calorie burn but when I had a desk job I would tighten my abs then relax several times it is an easy and discreet way to work your abs at work.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I run up and down the stairs a couple of times per day...you can do sneaky stomach crunches while you are sitting at your desk, just tighten up your abs and crunch a bit...all depends on if your office has a door. I can't do much since there is a guy sitting about 5 feet behind my chair.
  • TiniTurtle
    TiniTurtle Posts: 595 Member
    i know people who have invested in an exercise ball & sit on it instead of a desk chair at work & if they have an office, closing the door for some quick cardio & calisthenics :o)
  • heatherhart
    heatherhart Posts: 113 Member
    Dont know if they will allow you to get rid of your chair but just sitting on an exercise ball is a workout & you have to sit up straight unless you wanna fall off lol
  • heatherhart
    heatherhart Posts: 113 Member
    haha guess we thought alike lol
  • 4everm3
    4everm3 Posts: 22
    try to walk on your lunch break. maybe walk to the store and get something light to eat on your way back. I have a tiny trampoline that I keep at the office so as of today I will do 20min of jogging on my lunch breaks. and if you don't mind looking like a fool. dance in your chair =D I am alone so it's easy for me to do. but I know some people work around others
  • david_swinstead
    david_swinstead Posts: 271 Member
    When I'm at work I do secret pushups in the toilet so nobody will laugh at me :)

    Ok so not technically at my desk but you can still do it when you're in the office. Start with knee-pushups if you can't do any full-body ones.
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
    When I'm at work I do secret pushups in the toilet so nobody will laugh at me :)

    Heh... me too, though I do "half pushups" starting from the sink counter level... I work with welders, the bathroom floor is nasty. :happy:
  • MisdemeanorM
    MisdemeanorM Posts: 3,493 Member
    Are you up and down a lot or just at your desk? Someone suggested once every time you sit down to go just to where your butt touches then stand up and then sit back down - easy tiny squat. You can also stand up every 1/2 hour and do 5-10 of these yourself, if you don't feel too odd. :)

    Don't think you'll get any cardio in since keeping your HR up at a desk is impractical and likely not prone to productivity, but you can do some toning.

    Butt flexes, ab flexes, kegels, sitting w/ your back off the back of the chair for some trunk stability, exercise ball for a seat (careful, watch your posture - I have back issues and this just made it hurt more)


    Didn't look through these, but you may want to:

    http://exercise.about.com/cs/exerciseworkouts/l/blofficeworkout.htm
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/24084-office-chair-workout/
    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/office-exercise/SM00115
  • Bump
  • david_swinstead
    david_swinstead Posts: 271 Member
    Is there absolutely no other time you can squeeze in even a little exercise? You've gotta really scrape the bottom of the barrel to get some exercises you can do at a desk. You could walk/cycle to work? Or if its too far for that to be practical, park further away and walk in, or get off the bus a couple of stops earlier.
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
    When I'm at work I do secret pushups in the toilet so nobody will laugh at me :)

    Heh... me too, though I do "half pushups" starting from the sink counter level... I work with welders, the bathroom floor is nasty. :happy:

    Great minds think alike! I rotate between a set of push-ups, squats and lunges every bathroom trip!
  • GLLove
    GLLove Posts: 77
    I have the same problem. I found a 20 minute resistance band workout that you can do sitting at your desk. I usually do it when our managers are in their morning meeting :) I'm pretty sure the day will come when they'll let out early and find me in some unflattering position and call 911 before I can explain lol.

    Bahahahaha!
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
    as you exhale squeeze your abs and butt muscles. Get out of your chair every hour or 2 and stretch or pump out a few air squats.
  • GLLove
    GLLove Posts: 77
    Is there absolutely no other time you can squeeze in even a little exercise? You've gotta really scrape the bottom of the barrel to get some exercises you can do at a desk. You could walk/cycle to work? Or if its too far for that to be practical, park further away and walk in, or get off the bus a couple of stops earlier.


    I can do things after work but I've had trouble with keeping any kind of routine. Since I am going to be here 40 hours a week it feels silly to waste those hours just sitting when I could be doing more. I work in a small office. Its about 25 minute drive each morning and only one row of parking. But those are great ideas especially to those who can. LOL @ secret bathroom push-ups. Thats one I may actually have to try.

    Just trying to get the most out of my days!
  • carlybarley22
    carlybarley22 Posts: 197 Member
    Both of my jobs are desk jobs, so it's hard to fit in exercise after work when i work 60 to 70 hours a week (the last thing I want to do when I get home is workout haha). At one of my jobs, I take phone calls so in between phone calls I walk laps around the office. I change direction every 15 minutes so I don't get dizzy, and I try to total an hour a day walking briskly.
  • GLLove
    GLLove Posts: 77
    do you have a closed office or a cubicle type thing? You could try arm exercises with small handweights

    I have a closed office. I'm the only one in here but get lost of traffic in and out.
  • GLLove
    GLLove Posts: 77
    Thank you all so much! Lots of great ideas!
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    I walk briskly around our two building complex once or twice a day. It's a half mile, takes about 12 minutes and still leaves me enough time to use the rest room on a 15 minute break. Not sure if I'll still be able to manage it when it starts hitting 100°+ in a few months, but for now, it works. :)
  • hedleyrocks247
    hedleyrocks247 Posts: 185 Member
    Shake a leg - or both :)
  • david_swinstead
    david_swinstead Posts: 271 Member
    Maybe try ditching the inter-office phone and instead go to peoples offices to talk to them. That would give you a little extra walking, but yea, still scraping the barrel somewhat.

    I like the idea some people have said of doing a little mini squat on the chair as you sit down.
  • Froggy1976
    Froggy1976 Posts: 472
    I run up and down the stairs a couple of times per day...you can do sneaky stomach crunches while you are sitting at your desk, just tighten up your abs and crunch a bit...all depends on if your office has a door. I can't do much since there is a guy sitting about 5 feet behind my chair.
    I do this several times a day also. I work on the third floor and there is no elevator. I go up and down those stairs quite often which is why you always see stairs in my workout on my work days.
  • PLUMSGRL
    PLUMSGRL Posts: 1,134 Member
    several pilaties moves can be done sitting~get a DVD and practice at home first.
    also Leslie Sansone's walk away the pounds DVDs can be done at work~140 step/min = 4 miles/hour, 150 steps/min=5 miles/hr
    4 basic moves done standing at your desk listening to your ipod or music at work~I do it frequently...
  • cowlover22
    cowlover22 Posts: 309 Member
    how about muscle tensing and releasing of you legs and butt..I do this when I drive..also I am not a nervous person but when people are not around I bounce my legs up and down (any little bit helps right?) Also just get up and down from your chair fequently just use your leg muscles to get up..just some weird little things I do
  • I work from home but am chained to my desk for 12 hours. I keep a resistance band and some hand weights at my desk. The 20-minute resistance band workout everyone had mentioned is pretty good. Lots of butt-crunches. I walk on my lunch break. When I take my breaks I run up and down the stairs instead of just walking. You just gotta be creative :-)
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