DO you have an office/desk job?

SummerLovin0x
SummerLovin0x Posts: 481 Member
edited November 17 in Introduce Yourself
I'm sure there are plenty of people on here whom have desk jobs or office jobs.. Secretaries? I'm one of those. Who works a long work day, up at 5 am.. 1 1/2 hour drive to work. Be into work for 8:00 am. work 8 hours, home at 5:00, eat supper, do nails, because i'm also a nail technician, finish at 9:30 p.m. Shower / Bed.

How do i find time for working out. Better yet how do you guys find the time? ox
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Replies

  • echofm1
    echofm1 Posts: 471 Member
    I'm not a secretary exactly, but I do communications in an office and spend a lot of time at a desk. I started waking up at 4am to get my exercise in (my normal wake-up is 5:30). It can be hard to motivate myself that early in the morning, but if I wanted to stick with it that was what I had to do.

    The part I got stuck on though: You drive an hour and a half to work? Or 1/2 hour? Because to work 8 hours starting at 8am, and assuming you get lunch, an hour and a half commute wouldn't get you home at 5. If you do drive an hour and a half, I'm really curious as to why you live so far from work.
  • Laura732
    Laura732 Posts: 244 Member
    When I used to keep your schedule, I worked out at lunch. We had an hour back then. Depending on where I worked, that ended up being a 1-2 mile walk, or working out in the gym. Your employer expects you to be away from your desk, and your family can't interrupt because they aren't there. Workouts don't have to be an hour of intense sweating and you can even break it up across the day. You have to move to be healthy, start out by moving more. Parking farther away from the office, using the stairs, there are plenty of opportunities in front of you.
  • ilovesweeties
    ilovesweeties Posts: 84 Member
    Office worker here, but not one with a schedule as packed as yours! I have been taking my activity more seriously since last July, when I started to aim for 10,000 steps a day. That's about 7.5k in actual walking (to and from work) and a dog walk after dinner. I also go for a walk at lunchtime and try to get up to the ladies room or the kitchen as much as I can. I was able to far exceed 10k when I took up running though. Three times a week, for half an hour, 5k run (5.5k steps) and straight into the shower either before work or before bed. Can you park further away from work and walk in and out? Can you run for 20 mins in your lunch break? I'm sure lots of people on here have strength training advice too.
  • jessupbrady
    jessupbrady Posts: 508 Member
    You'd be surprised how easy it is to find a little extra time once you make a habit.
    Start with shorter exercise routines - something you can do at home.
    http://www.fitnessblender.com has free full length videos and there are several things you can do in a short amount of time (less than 20 minutes) I added a couple favorites that are total body workouts, abs, pilates, core, upper body, and stretching that are all under 20 minutes.
    Once you start carving out some time, you'll find it won't be much to add just another 10 minutes, then another. But just start by making it a habit and then let it grow.
  • SummerLovin0x
    SummerLovin0x Posts: 481 Member
    @echofm1 Yes i work at a hospital so yeah i drive an hour and a half to work i leave my house 630 to be at work for 8
  • rossinator63
    rossinator63 Posts: 36 Member
    Get a stand up work station so you are not sitting all day: it is terrible for you.
  • Hollywood_Porky
    Hollywood_Porky Posts: 491 Member
    Yeah BI consultant (business data analyst). I hate sitting down all day. Used to be a chocolatier. Up between 5-6am - my commute is short. Workout late afternoon.
  • jessupbrady
    jessupbrady Posts: 508 Member
    echofm1 wrote: »
    The part I got stuck on though: You drive an hour and a half to work? Or 1/2 hour? Because to work 8 hours starting at 8am, and assuming you get lunch, an hour and a half commute wouldn't get you home at 5. If you do drive an hour and a half, I'm really curious as to why you live so far from work.

    I leave at 6am and am home 5pm; but I work through my lunch. My commute is an hour and a half as well because I commute into DC - with 400,000 other people. Roads get a touch crowded.
  • jessicapk
    jessicapk Posts: 574 Member
    Start with short workouts but plan them and make sure you follow through. At the same time, get a pedometer or activity tracker and start watching your steps, trying to stay more active through the day. It really does make a difference. I work a part desk job and come to work 15 minutes early to walk in our warehouse (we start at 6:30 and it's way too dark/unsafe to walk before I get to work) and I also make sure to get short walks in at least once an hour or two. Doing 10-15 minutes worth of yoga or basic strength training in the morning and again in the evening is easy to fit in if you make yourself do it.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    echofm1 wrote: »
    If you do drive an hour and a half, I'm really curious as to why you live so far from work.

    a LOT of people have commutes that far, either because of massive traffic congestion or because they live in a rural area, where you have no choice but to commute for a decent paying job.

  • KrysGettinFit
    KrysGettinFit Posts: 131 Member
    I'm an admin, so basically the same. I get up at 4 to get my work out in, I'm pretty lucky that my company has a gym in the basement. I also set alarms on my outlook during the day reminding me to get up and move. I usually get up and walk around my cube every half hour or so, then on the hour I will get up and do a "big movement" walking around the office a little bit. Then use the bathrooms on the first floor and use the stairs to get there.. just little things like that. It helps!
  • nicola8989
    nicola8989 Posts: 381 Member
    I work out on my lunchbreak at a gym 5 mins from work and I get up 5 mins out of every hour to walk around - have read lots of articles saying that it's essential to walk around a couple mins every hour if you have a desk job
  • P90XBowler99
    P90XBowler99 Posts: 44 Member
    Desk job here too, government worker in the IT field. I take a 45 min walk (5K) at lunchtime with lots of hills, and get my workout in when I get home @ 4.
  • JustSomeEm
    JustSomeEm Posts: 20,269 MFP Moderator
    edited May 2015
    I drive over an hour to work each day and have a mostly desk job. I traded my chair for an exercise ball. Every so often I use the ball for some quick work exercises. It only takes a minute, plus I have the benefit of doing "active sitting" all day which apparently burns more calories than sitting in a chair. I also tend to get up and walk away from my desk for a few minutes every couple of hours and just go for a 5 minute walk. Whenever I head to the bathroom, I extend the walk just a little bit. I also run in the evenings (my kids are teenagers, so they help with house stuff and/or run with me if it's a shorter run), and have found an app called 30 Days which I do each morning - only takes a few minutes.

    @jessupbrady - I drive into DC every day as well. @echofm1 - living too near DC is expensive and congested. I traded a convenient commute for a house on 3 acres of land (yes I know that's not much, but I'm within commuting distance to DC), and a more rural setting and nicer schools for the kiddos. :) I get out the door at 5:30 each morning, am usually at work by 7 (earlier if I can), work through lunch, then leave by 3 to get home (usually) by 5. It's DC - that type of work schedule is very very common.

    Edit to say I just realized that OP never said she lived in DC. Doh! But the point remains that sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. LOL! Hope everyone is having a fantastic hump day.
  • autodominio
    autodominio Posts: 55 Member
    I have a job that is mostly desk (70%) the rest is hands on but definitely not consider changing my 'sedentary' to 'lightly active' because of it.
    How do I get in the workouts? I bring lunches that I can eat on my desk or as I move around like a wrap or a sandwich, any meal on a tupperware really if it's not too elaborate but I don't punch out to eat these 'snacks' and I save my lunch time for a workout.
    The other way I do it is that I have a bike trainer at home. It's a stand where you hook up a real bike and use it as a stationary bike. You can put it together and away in only a couple of minutes.
    And lastly here's an advice that may be a little shocking if you can't exercise because of these extreme circumstances you may not have too to reach your weight goals at least, you will need to workout to gain strength and muscle mass but just to drop excess fat pounds you don't need to workout. A book I read even suggest working out may hamper some peoples weight loss efforts as exercise can be an appetite enhancer as it can also be a suppressant. Just things to consider.
  • rushfive
    rushfive Posts: 603 Member
    Get up earlier/or at end of day, and do a short workout, lots on UTube. Park far away from office and walk, use stairs, use restroom on different floor, walk during lunch break, take advantage of office gym. use a ball/stand desk. Get up and walk around every hour. Do stretches at desk while waiting on .....
    Some of the advice I have been given. Good Luck
  • MissusSpags
    MissusSpags Posts: 109 Member
    I leave the house at 6am to get to work for 7. Work until 4:30 and then head home. I've been stopping at the next town over from my house after work to walk for 2 miles. I change into my workout clothes before I even leave work so I'm not tempted to just "go home for five minutes and chill" since in the past, those five minutes turned into five years..lol. I agree with previous posters in that you have to work with what you have. I'm on the fourth floor of our office building and I'm trudging up those stairs like THAT'S my job. We take team walks down on the third floor since three times around the loop is a mile. Anything over and above your normal day will help. :smiley:
  • Treece68
    Treece68 Posts: 780 Member
    I started by walking on my breaks I get two twenty minute breaks during the day bring your sneakers with you and bam 40min workout done!
  • Treece68
    Treece68 Posts: 780 Member
    also use the stairs every little bit helps
  • margelizard
    margelizard Posts: 89 Member
    I have a 45 min bus commute each way, which isn't terrible, but I spend almost my entire day sitting! I get up to go to bathroom and kitchen more often than necessary, and walk to talk to my colleagues in another office instead of using the phone.

    I usually get off the bus 2 miles from my house and walk/jog home. Sometimes I beat the bus, depending on traffic! So I usually walk/jog M, W and F, then cycle at least ten miles on Saturday or Sunday (or both if the weather holds out. But I live in Scotland....).

    Frankly, I'd like to do more, but I also want time to relax, so I let it slide a bit....
  • eyley
    eyley Posts: 95 Member
    I'm usually up at 06:00 (what's the O stand for? - Oh my God it's early!) and at the gym for 7am. work out until 8am and then shower / change to get to work for 08:30. Work through until 16:30 and head home get some tea and then do a bit more work until about 8pm, then chillout. My worst habits about riding a desk all day is the snacking habits of the office / not having a proper lunchbreak due to workloads.
  • MalineVD
    MalineVD Posts: 649 Member
    Wake up at 6am to be in the gym at 7am and at work at 8.30 am. Work until 6pm, get home at 6.30pm, cook, do my household and try to be in bed around 11pm. Also walking during lunchbreaks and try to do everything by bike. Meeting up with friends I try to incorporate sports too. Like going for a walk in the park or go swimming together.
  • darcelchoy
    darcelchoy Posts: 89 Member
    I'm a reporter which means at times I'm on the go but there are times when I'm not and I'm mostly at my desk writing articles. With my workout I find time after work from 7 to 8
  • JenAndSome
    JenAndSome Posts: 1,893 Member
    Get up at 4 instead of 5 and work out.
    Meal prep so all you have to do is heat dinner instead of cooking every night.
    Work out after doing nails.
    Work out on your lunch hour.

    I like to get up and work out in the morning as it really wakes me up and focuses me for the day. I also get runs in when I can. Sometimes the only time I can get one in is on my lunch hour. That gives me half an hour to run and half an hour to clean up a bit and eat
  • Jenky85
    Jenky85 Posts: 190 Member
    I go to the gym at lunch which works for me but that's because my work are flexible in how long I take for lunch so I'm not restricted to exactly 1 hour only...usually take about 1 hour 15 from leaving my desk to go to being back at it working again.
  • the_nerdgasm
    the_nerdgasm Posts: 86 Member
    I'm a librarian, so it's not a completely sedentary job (lots of getting up and helping people on computers or showing them where their book is), but it's still a lot of desk time. Working out in the morning works best for me. I usually go to a boxing class at 5am, but maybe an early morning walk/jog/run or gym session would help?

    I also notice that on days I don't work out in the morning, I'm really sluggish for the rest of the day. I just feel tired and drained. I'm much more energetic when I get my exercise in!
  • thatpowergengirl
    thatpowergengirl Posts: 11 Member
    Desk worker here too. I'm up around the same time and have an hour commute. I have a mini stair stepper under my desk (got it on Amazon for like $40) that I try to use 5 mins/hour. I also go for a walk on my lunch break and then eat at my desk later. Every little bit of activity helps!
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    I'm a legal assistant. I'm up at 4:30 to work out, out of the house at 7:30-7:45, work 8:30 to 5:30, home by 6:15. Dinner, walking the dog, relaxing, bed. I've even gotten up at 4:00 to get in an even longer workout. Gotta do what you gotta do. You don't find time to work out, you make time to work out.
  • badgermama220
    badgermama220 Posts: 22 Member
    Find reasons to get up from your desk. Refilling a water bottle (and the pee breaks from drinking alot of water!) are a great start. Standing work station. The previous place I worked, my manager would have walking meetings if the weather was nice - if it was just a quick chat with him and one other person, like brainstorming, update, etc. (not sure if that would apply for a secretary).

    Otherwise, walks during your breaks. Get some fitness equipment at home (you can do small things like resitance bands, weighted balls) so that you don't have to drive somewhere else. Starting out with 15 minutes in the morning may be a good way to begin, it's hard to find motivation to work out at the end of a long day!
  • kellyship17
    kellyship17 Posts: 112 Member
    I am a software engineer, which means 10 hours of sitting a day... plus an hour of commuting that is... also sitting! I get up at least once an hour and walk around the floor, and I either get up really early and exercise or go late at night. I've made my fair share of excuses... but I know exercise is important, so I make the sacrifice to get my butt up in the morning and run. And now I love it.
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