The Dreaded Desk Job

JenniferLynWhat
JenniferLynWhat Posts: 80
edited September 28 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi everyone, I'm pretty new but I've already learned so much from this site. Right now my exercise is a bit limited by 1. surgery recovery (still have a week left of it) and 2. and 8 hour a day, 5 days a week desk job. I get restless and I get up and wander around (It's a home office, so I can do that) but I want to be a bit more productive. I'm on a 1230 calorie restriction which is hard to keep when you're not exercising. What can I do right here from my desk to burn calories and be productive toward my goal?

Replies

  • VixFit2011
    VixFit2011 Posts: 663 Member
    check out "chair dancing" by Jodi Stolove.
  • reldnahcire
    reldnahcire Posts: 5
    It is a bit extreme, but it seems extremely doable in your home office, but treadmill desks, where you stand and walk at 1mph for the whole day seem like they can really help! A smaller, simpler investment would be one of those pedal at your desk things.
  • MissingMinnesota
    MissingMinnesota Posts: 7,486 Member
    since you are in a home office it would be easy to take a 5 minute break every hour and do a set of sit ups/crunches, push ups, jumping jacks, or anything else that uses your body weight. Also have you thought about sitting on an exercise ball instead of a chair? That keeps your core engaged while you are working.
  • morganadk2_deleted
    morganadk2_deleted Posts: 1,696 Member
    Are you eating to enough?

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficit


    This is just a part of it! please read the link above


    Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit
    With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
    With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
    With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)
    and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle tone, and reducing fat. This means is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode)


    Also this might be helpful http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/00trayn/view/how-to-bust-a-3-month-plateau-87677



    Good luck on your journey
  • cha36jennings
    cha36jennings Posts: 99 Member
    I too have a desk job and with commuting I'm sitting for about 12 hours a day. The only thing I can do is force myself to walk each lunchtime for a min of 30 mins. I use Endomodo app on the iphone to log my distance, speed and calories burned (free app)
  • kiawya
    kiawya Posts: 73
    I have a home office too! I have a stability ball, an ab roller, hand weights, and thighmaster. I take several small breaks during the day to exercise, and keep music on so I can dance when I'm standing. Just keep moving!
  • luv2travel2010
    luv2travel2010 Posts: 2
    Just moving around every hour helps. I have a desk job as well, but I spend my hour lunch walking around the office park that I work in. Also make it a point to keep healthy snacks on hand (which is much easier with a home office). Keep some free wieghts near your desk so you can do arm curls etc during downtime.
  • kiawya
    kiawya Posts: 73
    I LOVE chair dancing! I do it everyday!
  • stephaniekendrick
    stephaniekendrick Posts: 87 Member
    I do medical transcription from home, so I can certainly appreciate being bound to the desk and chair all day! I'm not sure how much of a calorie burn it would be, but you could try lifting some small weights (2 or 5 lb.) while sitting in the chair. There are also those stretch bands you can use to stretch your legs. Also, I'm not sure on your restrictions right now for things after surgery, but I have one of those big exercise balls that I love to sit on...you can do some crunches on the ball, lift the weights and doing all of this while balancing on it helps with your core muscles. It's not much and you should probably ease into things after surgery anyway, but once you get the okay from the doc, start with an early morning walk. When I get up a little earlier and head outdoors before I start working, it always starts my day off much better! Plus, I know what I've burned and then can plan out what to eat for the day. Good luck!
  • PATRICEDESIA
    PATRICEDESIA Posts: 7
    I can suggest to bring you lunch in everyday and use your lunch break to take a walk. That's what I do!!!!!!!! Good Luck!!!!
  • katkins3
    katkins3 Posts: 1,359 Member
    I've seen people sit on an exercise ball to work their core while working. I don't know if they do it all day or just for set intervals now and then. A free weight break sounds good to me. Where I work we walk around the building 5 times on break, takes 15 min. Its all good.
  • SteelersFan7
    SteelersFan7 Posts: 217 Member
    WedMD posted this video of desk exercises. Hope it helps

    http://www.webmd.com/video/exercise-at-your-desk-exercises?ecd=wnl_nal_wlw_061411
  • Dawnsdream
    Dawnsdream Posts: 34
    i love your picture with beach back ground
  • Fleur933
    Fleur933 Posts: 156 Member
    My sister and her co-workers all got those under the desk peddle machines...it peddles just like riding a bike...but you can do it descretely under the table and noone needs to know. Not only will it help with activity...but it is also great for blood flow etc. I'd have one if I ever got to sit down at work! LOL
  • es0torok
    es0torok Posts: 66 Member
    I have a desk job. I work out in the evenings after dinner. I would prefer to workout in the morning, but I'd have to wake up at 3:30a to achieve that. (and it ain't gonna happen). :-)
  • foxxybrown
    foxxybrown Posts: 838 Member
    I'm sure you get a lunch break so do something active during that time. I have a desk job but I do not work from home but at lunch time, I go in an empty office and do a workout app on my iPhone.
  • Dawnsdream
    Dawnsdream Posts: 34
    but seriously. i have a desk job also. i walk three miles in the wee morning and 45 minutes at lunch. and i do stomach exercise at my desk. it works. I am limited also by sitting at a desk all day. but where there is a will there is a way. lol
  • jesseBYAH
    jesseBYAH Posts: 446 Member
    Lots of good suggestions in here! I have a desk job too, and I wear a pedometer at work and get up and move as much as possible. In my lazier days, I would probably walk less than 1000 steps at work but these days I usually get around 4000-5000 by really focusing on getting up and walking whenever possible. That's still not a ton, but I aim for 10,000 steps a day overall, so it certainly helps. Set goals for yourself and set some timers so you don't forget to take small exercise breaks. Jumping jacks are an excellent way to increase your heart rate and give you a little boost. There are a lot of things that you could get away with doing at a home office! I wish I could take short breaks to do crunches and jumping jacks but my bosses would probably get pissed, hahaha
  • aehartley
    aehartley Posts: 269 Member
    currently i work at a hospital and I sit all the time. It is really hard for me becuase I have always been really active. I work out almost every morning, and at lunch I go to the gym at our hospital to walk on the treadmill...
  • luv_lea
    luv_lea Posts: 1,094 Member
    You tube has a lot of video's for ideas on exercising at your desk. Some look more effective than others, and some are meant to be funny but I bet if you weed through there you could get some different ideas! I searched desk exercises for abs and got some decent results! Also like many have suggested before me~sitting on an exercise ball instead of a chair. I wish my boss would let me do it!! But I've heard good feedback from people who are allowed to do it at work.

    Good luck!!
  • indigoeyes
    indigoeyes Posts: 18 Member
    bump
  • atomiclauren
    atomiclauren Posts: 689 Member
    I get up and walk around quite a bit -- I always go the restroom far away (up flights of stairs, too, if you're in a multi-story), stretch/desk yoga, and on nice days take short but fast walks (Houston summers make this kind of dreadful midday, though).

    I also have to walk about 1/2 mile a day to my car and back round trip (I work at a university and parking is on the outer edges) so if you drive park far!
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