Sitting in office....can it derail exercise...read on...
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You can't pick just one factor and blame all your bad health on it.
I'm going to assume "your" is the collective "you" and not me.
Well I exercise almost every day, and I "lift heavy" three times a week for now. I put in quotes because I'm still newish and don't want anyone to be thinking I'm some heavy lifting expert (yet!). I watch what I eat, I log, I've been a little more serious about the food lately. I'm not sitting on a couch all day expecting osmosis to get my body in shape.
I was just wondering becasue I read it somewhere and it seemed like one of those articles geared to make people who are actually working to get in shape feel like they are wasting their time.
I hate articles like that. Well, I'm not saying they are purposely trying to talk us out of exercising but it sure doesn't feel like they are promoting us to keep it up.
Regardless, I'm doing my part and soon will be able to post pics.
What is a lifting heavy expert?
And here it comes....
It's someone who has been lifing heavy for more than a few months, someone who has a great idea of what they want in thier body goals, someone who has more experience than I, someone who has gone through different phases of loading and deloading, and changing up of reps vs weight, etc, ad nauseam. And no, there are no PhD's in lifting.
I said that because if you lift heavy for you. You're lifting heavy. I lift heavy too my friend lift way heavier than me. That does not change the fact I lift heavy. I think people who get to there goals in lifting can say that they know what there doing in the gym. Also I wanted to know what a lifting expert is because by your definition I am one. I thing when I get to my goals then I can say I am a lifting expert.0 -
I also have a desk job. I get up and walk at at lunch and when other people take "smoking breaks" (I call my time a fitness break). I have found that it has made a tremendous impact on getting in some form of activity- in case my work out plans get derailed in the evening. If I do get my workout in after work (which I almsot always do)- then it is bonus activity. Plus- it really clears my head.0
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I went from waiting tables in college to my present desk job, and gained over 100 pounds-most within the first year. Staring at a computer screen can lull you into a constant state of half asleep, making you tired even though you've been sitting down all day. I am kicking myself for not using our on site gym when I first started. There's also the culture of the people around you. Most on my team have no interest in eating healthier and getting more exercise. There is always junk food and team lunches planned (lunches taking the place of my workout time). It is frustrating, but still not a total derailment.0
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I also have an office job. Sitting at a desk all day can be boring. Go online and search for exercises to do at your desk. I've been doing standing calf raises every day at work, but there are lots of small things you can do to move your body during the day.0
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I don't agree with the idea that it doesn't matter if you exercise. I do agree that being sedentary isn't good for your health....even if you exercise every day and watch what you eat, having a sedentary job like sitting at a desk in an office for 6 hours a day can derail your efforts and still keep you unhealthy.
I'm not sure is the same the study that you read about :
http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2014/02/18/bjsports-2013-093014.abstract
The results state that: Associations were independent of leisure-time physical activity.
I read this as, they studied the affects of sitting all day long and watching TV. Exercise wasn't part of the study.
Also, the conclusion states that more studies are needed. In other words, don't lose sleep over having a desk job. Get your exercise in, go to work and enjoy life. :flowerforyou:0 -
Derail in and of itself? No, however I'm sure it's a contributer. I know for me I get up at 5am to be in the office by 6:30 get off at 5, drive 45 minutes home and then I'm beat. Just absoloutly beat, want to fall asleep as soon as my head hits the couch. I personally find mental work to be just as draining as physical work. I think maybe if you're drained at the end of the day it may effect the quality that you put into your exercise routine. You may also be noshing more than you think you are (I know my work has a lot of potlucks). So no, I don't think so but definitly a contributer.0
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I haven't had a desk job in years, but whenever I did, I gained weight, despite having some sort of exercise routine. When you think about it, you have to set your TDEE to sedentary and add exercise if you sit all day; but if you are lightly active with a job where you're up and down or on your feet, your TDEE is higher already, and then adding exercise increases the burn, However, most people who sit all day don't eat less than folks who work on their feet; in fact they are subject to the same temptations -- office food, lunches, etc. I'm married to a guy who sits all day -- huge toll on his body. Then, he actually gets disinclined to go to the gym because sitting becomes a habit, no one else is doing it, everyone eats lunch at their desks rather than takes a walk (or eats lunch at a restaurant, more calories). It's like a vicious cycle.0
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I have a desk job and I've lost 80lbs! Don't believe it!0
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I think it is just another excuse.0
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I have a desk job and I've lost 80lbs! Don't believe it!
Could you imagine though if your job was hard labor how quicker you can lose the weight you did.
Now sitting has lots of disadvantages to the body but to get in the way of exercise. Maybe it makes the person too lazy to exercise.0 -
I spend ~10 hrs a day on my desk in front of a computer and I've lost 55lbs over the last year and am now at 12% body fat. As long as you're eating at a deficit, you'll lose weight.0
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As I understand it, the theory is more that you can't make up for a day's worth of inactivity purely with 30 minutes of heavy activity in the evening.
It would be better if you were able to achieve regular periods of light to moderate activity throughout the day. Which is why I, for example, take a walking break every hour during which I walk round the office and then up and down 5 flights of stairs.
It's not intense activity, but it is regular activity.
If only my job would allow that...
I get up 2-3 times a day to walk, and also at lunch, but there's no way I could do it every hour. Not if I wanted to stay employed!
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As I understand it, the theory is more that you can't make up for a day's worth of inactivity purely with 30 minutes of heavy activity in the evening.
It would be better if you were able to achieve regular periods of light to moderate activity throughout the day. Which is why I, for example, take a walking break every hour during which I walk round the office and then up and down 5 flights of stairs.
It's not intense activity, but it is regular activity.
But why would this be, does anyone have a logical explanation?
If timing of calorie intake doesn't matter, then why would timing of calorie expenditure matter? Wouldn't it be as long as you are expending X amount of calories per day?
From a weight loss perspective it won't matter a damn. If your aim is simply weight loss, then you're good. If your aim is 200 pushups or bench pressing a certain amount, or running a mile in 4 minutes... you're good.
But fitness and health (which are a horribly vague terms) encompass a variety of other things. It's hard to measure them by a single metric.
While the regular moderate activity doesn't burn a huge number of calories it does mean you are "active" (another horribly vague term) for a far greater amount of time than the usually 30-60 minutes of intense exercise that people do. And the theory seems to be gaining ground that being active matters and that sitting for prolonged periods... Like say 4 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the afternoon has negative impacts on your health.
I see what your saying, I also read this somewhere but I skimmed so I wasn't sure what I was reading. Thank you for clarifying.0 -
The key to maintain fitness is exercising briefly every hour for 10 minutes.
I have a Shake Weight. Every hour or so, I turn my back to the rest of the office, put both hands on the Shake Weight and get in 100 reps. I keep the weight low, in my lap, so no one can see it. If anyone asks what I'm doing, I tell them its my hourly "Meditation" and I get cranky if I don't finish. Then I let out a huge sigh of relief so everyone knows I'm done. Keeps the blood flowing.
I've got an appointment with HR this afternoon... I wonder what for?0 -
The key to maintain fitness is exercising briefly every hour for 10 minutes.
I have a Shake Weight. Every hour or so, I turn my back to the rest of the office, put both hands on the Shake Weight and get in 100 reps. I keep the weight low, in my lap, so no one can see it. If anyone asks what I'm doing, I tell them its my hourly "Meditation" and I get cranky if I don't finish. Then I let out a huge sigh of relief so everyone knows I'm done. Keeps the blood flowing.
I've got an appointment with HR this afternoon... I wonder what for?
Uh-huh. "Shake Weight" you mean.
:laugh:0 -
As I understand it, the theory is more that you can't make up for a day's worth of inactivity purely with 30 minutes of heavy activity in the evening.
It would be better if you were able to achieve regular periods of light to moderate activity throughout the day. Which is why I, for example, take a walking break every hour during which I walk round the office and then up and down 5 flights of stairs.
It's not intense activity, but it is regular activity.
If only my job would allow that...
I get up 2-3 times a day to walk, and also at lunch, but there's no way I could do it every hour. Not if I wanted to stay employed!
I sit in a cube and my job is primarily results based. So long as things happen by the date they need to happen, no one cares about 5 minute walks.
These things are always job dependent. I was simply illustrating a way that being lightly active throughout the day could work.0 -
True story man, I was with him.I read once that jesus rode a raptor to war against the egyptians.0 -
As I understand it, the theory is more that you can't make up for a day's worth of inactivity purely with 30 minutes of heavy activity in the evening.
It would be better if you were able to achieve regular periods of light to moderate activity throughout the day. Which is why I, for example, take a walking break every hour during which I walk round the office and then up and down 5 flights of stairs.
It's not intense activity, but it is regular activity.
If only my job would allow that...
I get up 2-3 times a day to walk, and also at lunch, but there's no way I could do it every hour. Not if I wanted to stay employed!
I sit in a cube and my job is primarily results based. So long as things happen by the date they need to happen, no one cares about 5 minute walks.
These things are always job dependent. I was simply illustrating a way that being lightly active throughout the day could work.
I think it's great that your job is okay with it! Mine would see me gone so much and question it, even though I'm always scrounging for more to do. LOL I'd love to get up more but I'm grateful they're okay with what I DO get to do in terms of walking.0 -
Derail....oh probably.
But what I can tell you from sitting on MY *kitten* all day is that I hurt I ache, every good workout I do I feel it when I get up to pee...I've not yet peed my pants yet though, so there's a plus.
I do feel like my workouts are wasted sometimes becuase all I do is get bent in this awkward position at my computer for 9 hours a day. But I'm not quite ready to fort over to another job and give up my 4 weeks of vacation time.
Bottom line, it doesn't help any, it does fuse your joints in bad positions when you can't move from the "sitting in front of the computer" position. Idk.
I'm a rocket scientist not not a health professional. And by rocket, I mean......nevermind.
I will also be getting me a Shake Weight in the near future turn my back to the cube farm and get some exercise in that way.0 -
Every week I sit in a car for 7.5 hours, at a work desk 45 hours, in a school desk for 14 hours and I lift weights for about 5 hours. I have seen significant improvements in my body shape, strength level and overall fitness despite the fact that most of my time is spent being sedentary.
Does sitting at a desk 40 hours a week derail exercise progress? If the answer to the question is "yes" would that make you say "screw it, I have a desk job, may as well not even try"? Keep lifting.0 -
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I get creative at work. There is a conference room and I go in there and do this:
We get a 15 minute break in the morning and afternoon. So, that might be my morning break. And I sometimes walk in the afternoon.
Office jobs can be challenging. Years ago I had a blood clot from prolonged sitting and using birth control. My doctor advised me to get up and stretch and walk around the office every hour. I try to get up and walk around the office just enough to stretch my legs if nothing else.
Sometimes I don't do the entire workout. Sometimes I only perform some of the exercises. Sometimes I slip into the records room when I am waiting for the copier to warm up and I do squats. I can get 20-30 squats in before the copier is warmed up. I take the stairs. OH, and I have a dumbbell in the conference room so sometimes I do bicep curls.
I try to be creative throughout the day about how I can get exercises in. I even do wall push ups sometimes. Our human resources lady has hula hoops in her office from a previous employee appreciation contest, and I am not past asking her for a hula hoop. I sneak in calf raises, too. I take the stairs throughout the day instead of the elevator. The elevator at my office is creepy anyway.
Get creative while you are working. However, I don't suggest hula hooping in the director's office. All these exercises throughout the day can add up. And, yes, people in the office compliment me on the changes they have seen so that is an added bonus.0 -
You can't pick just one factor and blame all your bad health on it.
I'm going to assume "your" is the collective "you" and not me.
Well I exercise almost every day, and I "lift heavy" three times a week for now. I put in quotes because I'm still newish and don't want anyone to be thinking I'm some heavy lifting expert (yet!). I watch what I eat, I log, I've been a little more serious about the food lately. I'm not sitting on a couch all day expecting osmosis to get my body in shape.
I was just wondering becasue I read it somewhere and it seemed like one of those articles geared to make people who are actually working to get in shape feel like they are wasting their time.
I hate articles like that. Well, I'm not saying they are purposely trying to talk us out of exercising but it sure doesn't feel like they are promoting us to keep it up.
Regardless, I'm doing my part and soon will be able to post pics.
What is a lifting heavy expert?
And here it comes....
It's someone who has been lifing heavy for more than a few months, someone who has a great idea of what they want in thier body goals, someone who has more experience than I, someone who has gone through different phases of loading and deloading, and changing up of reps vs weight, etc, ad nauseam. And no, there are no PhD's in lifting.
Why are you two arguing like childeren?
The answer is NO if you have a physical goal with a sedentary job you can still meet your goal, you WILL have to work for it outside your job.
Jeez get over yourselves
Do u even lift bra?
Since when does asking a question mean the person wants to argue. I am a little confused here.0 -
I have a desk job, 4 - 5 days a week, 10 - 12 hours a day. I don't exercise everyday, i mainly do it on my days off. It hasn't hindered my loss/fitness.0
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No. As long as you exercise regularly and eat healthy and maintain your portions you'll be fine. I've had an office job for 10 years now and as long as I eat relatively healthy, watch my portions, and exercise regularly my weight stays at a healthy level and I feel great.
^I agree w/this.
Yup...I've had a desk job for over a decade...I'm very fit and healthy0 -
No. As long as you exercise regularly and eat healthy and maintain your portions you'll be fine. I've had an office job for 10 years now and as long as I eat relatively healthy, watch my portions, and exercise regularly my weight stays at a healthy level and I feel great.
^I agree w/this.
Yup...I've had a desk job for over a decade...I'm very fit and healthy
but if you had an active job to begin with, would you even need to be here? That's what I wonder.
That being said...I have a desk job as well. I am healthy now....but it hasn't always been the case.0 -
I went from waiting tables in college to my present desk job, and gained over 100 pounds-most within the first year. Staring at a computer screen can lull you into a constant state of half asleep, making you tired even though you've been sitting down all day. I am kicking myself for not using our on site gym when I first started. There's also the culture of the people around you. Most on my team have no interest in eating healthier and getting more exercise. There is always junk food and team lunches planned (lunches taking the place of my workout time). It is frustrating, but still not a total derailment.
I wish my office had an onsite gym I would so use that at lunch time as I am sure most of us would. But they did just start a walking group which i am a part of and we walk for 15 min and most of the time we can hit 1 mile in those 15 min.0 -
I do not buy that statement either. Eating healthy and exercising is the way to go no matter what job you perform.0
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I have to say when I was an overnight associate in the furniture dept in walmart I was 150lbs and fit and it came off within 5 months of working there. Now that I am at a desk job and trying to lose the weight it is coming off a heck of a lot slower and I do get up and walk here and there throughout the day and I have small kids so I don't get to go home and crash but the weight is still slowly coming off.
I don't think it derails you as much as it slows the progress a lot, at least for me it does.0 -
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