Office Fitness

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Sallyismyname
Sallyismyname Posts: 43 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
OK, I have a full time desk job. Not a lot of activity- unless you count typing, answering phones, and walking to the copy machine. So, I decided to be really cool and replace my chair with a yoga ball! Yeah- sounds like a great idea, right? Well, I am 5 foot nothing, so I got the ball according to my height. When I sit on it, my desk literally hits my collar bones. Okay... Then I decided to "roll over" to the other side of my desk to answer the phone. Let's just say that turned out disasterous. Hmmm. So I stuck the friggin' ball under my desk and plopped back down in my chair. I did not give up on my office fitness dreams though. I take walks around the building a few times a day, walk up and down the stairs a few times a day, and sneak in a yoga ball workout when the boss is at lunch... ssshhh... don't tell anyone. Does anyone else have any tips to make a day at the office a fitness experience? I know I am dreaming, but there has got to be something I can do at a desk without making a scene.
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Replies

  • katm427
    katm427 Posts: 227 Member
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    I want to know the answer to this, too!
  • Jendf
    Jendf Posts: 36 Member
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    Ugh I understand you dilema, I also work in an office full time and have a hard time doing anything active without drawing attention to myself. I usually do chair dips and table push-ups when no one is around. I've also been seen doing walking lunges in the office, but I've definately got some laughter over it.
  • kcurtis05
    kcurtis05 Posts: 530 Member
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    So funny you mentioned this! I was thinking the same thing earlier this week! Check out the link I found. Some of the exercises are a bit out there, but there are a few that I have tried. Like, doing lounges from the copy machine instead of just walking. Good luck and let me know if you find anything else!

    http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/exercise-at-your-desk
  • Sallyismyname
    Sallyismyname Posts: 43 Member
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    Ha ha! Thank you guys! I am def gonna start doing lunges... boy oh boy, will my coworkers get a kick out of this. Ha ha... Thanks!
  • TammyBee
    TammyBee Posts: 178
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    Kegels? lol
  • Shirley61
    Shirley61 Posts: 7,758 Member
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    More power to you if you can get away with the yoga ball. I work in a law firm
    and being at the front desk I couldn't get away with that. One of my co-workers
    is going to bring in her weights and work out in one of the empty offices.
    I just walk for a half an hour at lunch. Keep up the good work.
    This sitting at your desk all day sucks.:tongue:
    You keep on reading about moving is the best thing.
    Shirley61
  • LadyRedundantWoman
    LadyRedundantWoman Posts: 28
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    i remember seeing someone had this under the desk pedal exerciser. i couldn't remember what it was called but when i searched for under the desk pedal this came up.

    http://lifehacker.com/263136/under+the+desk-pedal-exerciser
  • FunkBunny
    FunkBunny Posts: 417 Member
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    Something you can do that's a bit more private is when you go to the bathroom (and if you're drinking your water, you'll be there A LOT!) do a set of 10 or 15 wall push ups, or a set of squats, a set of calf raises, side stretches, tricep dips from the sink, if you can. Do a set of each one every time you go to the bathroom and over the course of the day you'll have in a full body workout!
  • ladyofivy
    ladyofivy Posts: 648
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    Butt clenches--squeeze your glutes as hard as you can for as long as you can, then relax.

    Abdominal clenches--again, clench your abs for as hard and as long as you can at a time, then relax.

    Really, any muscle can be clenched for exercise in this fashion.

    You can use your water bottle or stapler to do some light weight bicep curls at your desk, also.

    HTH!
  • ATJune
    ATJune Posts: 89 Member
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    perfect !! I had the same question!! thanks for putting it down:)
  • trotters24
    trotters24 Posts: 68
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    The yoga ball as a chair is a great idea - but sounds like it didn't work out too well :ohwell:

    My roommate in college had a chair at her desk that was a yoga ball as the seat, but had a chair frame that it sat in. It had a small back rest, and wheels to move around, but you still strengthened your core by having the ball as the seat part. Plus you could remove the ball for a quick work out. I'm not sure where she got it, but I know they are out there!

    As for my office routine, I work in a large office tower and try to take the stairs instead of the elevator. Whenever I feel a snack craving coming on, I head to the stairwell and do 5 or 6 flights. By that time, I'm over it (hopefully!)
  • Julbella78
    Julbella78 Posts: 161 Member
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    What about trying ankle weights and then lifting your legs up and down throughout the day. You could even keep them for bathroom/copy machine breaks on if you wear pants. No one would notice.
  • Sallyismyname
    Sallyismyname Posts: 43 Member
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    Ankle Weights! Awesome Idea! :happy:
    Def gonna try this... Kegals... Ha ha ha. Now now. That is incredible... :laugh:
    Holy Smokes. Clenching muscle groups is also great. :smile:
    Keep the Ideas coming! Wooo Hoooo! :wink:
    Thank you all so much! :tongue:
    Insert Smiley Face...:flowerforyou:
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    I do push ups o the handicap bar each time I go potty. Then I do 10 squats.
    Knee ups while waiting for a fax.
    I have a rubber band I got from the physical therapist and do stretches between calls.
    Stand on one foot for a min then do the other side

    I get plenty of looks, mostly envious!!!
  • MzBug
    MzBug Posts: 2,173 Member
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    I saw a resistance band DVD on Amazon for seniors where all the exercises were from a seated position, and another that was a mix of seated and standing. Would be easy to do them in an office once you learned them, and the band would be easily hid in a drawer.
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
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    Coworkers and I combine our two 10 minute breaks into one 20 minute break and go out to walk a mile a day if the weather permits. This is a nice supplement workout at the end of the day. We keep extra shoes and socks at work.
  • Serenifly
    Serenifly Posts: 669 Member
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    God, I work in a Motorsport Shop with 12 men, I'm the only chick ... If I did anything with a yoga band, a yoga ball or anything of the sort, I'd be harrassed into tears... I do dips in my chair, butt clentches and sit with my abs engaged for 30 second intervals ... that's about it! haha
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
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    I do push ups o the handicap bar each time I go potty. Then I do 10 squats.

    I do this as well.
  • kcurtis05
    kcurtis05 Posts: 530 Member
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    Wow, there are a lot of great ideas! Thanks! I think I will integrate a few into my day for sure! :bigsmile:
  • hkystar
    hkystar Posts: 1,290 Member
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    I do push ups o the handicap bar each time I go potty. Then I do 10 squats.
    Knee ups while waiting for a fax.
    I have a rubber band I got from the physical therapist and do stretches between calls.
    Stand on one foot for a min then do the other side

    I get plenty of looks, mostly envious!!!

    I do the push ups in the bathroom too. I actually enjoy it. I also make sure to get up and get water once every hour and working on not combing it with potty breaks every hour. So I get two short walks every hour.

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