Question - subtle exercises in the office?
anthonyloprimo
Posts: 27 Member
While getting a standing desk is currently not an option (oh how I want one at my job), I do want to figure out exercises that are subtle and decently effective, considering. I hadn't been the best at motivating myself to walk in the parking lot every day on break (or nearly every day, and the onset of colder weather has been discouraging me more), but doing things at my desk while I work is definitely something I'm willing to do.
I am overweight, and am afraid of getting blood clots among other issues. I've started actively fidgeting every hour or other hour as I remember reading about that burning calories. Thanks to ADHD I have no end of ways to fidget. Especially leg bouncing. Oh man. I've also been doing heel/toe raises as that seems to be a good way to get circulation going in the leg while sitting. I do stand, though I need to do it more often.
That said, are there any other exercises that I can do at the desk that wouldn't exactly bring a lot of attention? I would rather not be super obvious - there isn't any real judgement in the workplace per se, but I'm just not into getting a lot of attention, and I need whatever can motivate me, not the other way around
I've read about kegels, and are there any other small things that can be done? I've been reducing how much I eat overall, so with a lower overall caloric intake, I'm not against doing a bunch of small(er) exercises that can contribute to a larger overall mass of burned calories per day.
I am overweight, and am afraid of getting blood clots among other issues. I've started actively fidgeting every hour or other hour as I remember reading about that burning calories. Thanks to ADHD I have no end of ways to fidget. Especially leg bouncing. Oh man. I've also been doing heel/toe raises as that seems to be a good way to get circulation going in the leg while sitting. I do stand, though I need to do it more often.
That said, are there any other exercises that I can do at the desk that wouldn't exactly bring a lot of attention? I would rather not be super obvious - there isn't any real judgement in the workplace per se, but I'm just not into getting a lot of attention, and I need whatever can motivate me, not the other way around
I've read about kegels, and are there any other small things that can be done? I've been reducing how much I eat overall, so with a lower overall caloric intake, I'm not against doing a bunch of small(er) exercises that can contribute to a larger overall mass of burned calories per day.
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Replies
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I'd suggest web searching "isometric exercises" and even the old "Charles Atlas dynamic tension" which are minimal movement but provide surprisingly powerful functional resistance in various body positions including seated.
https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/kelly4.htm
These are muscle builders that won't "burn" calories much but over time adaptively increase the resting metabolic rate (as compared to cardio that burns energy but gradually causes the body to adaptively slow down.) There are also some nervous energy absorbers like grip squeeze balls that are common in office settings and won't draw gawkers. (I completely agree about standing for deskwork, personally used a plastic document storage box with a laptop when my back bothered me.)3 -
I don't really do any "exercises" at work...but I make it a point to get out from behind my desk at least every hour. I am more likely than not to get up and go walk to talk to a colleague or one of my staff about something rather than emailing them or paging them on their phone extension. I also make it a point to "walk the floor" pretty much every hour...I'm usually on the way to the bathroom or breakroom to get some water or something, but I take the scenic route. This gives me the opportunity to not only get some additional movement, but also be visible to my staff and other colleagues who I will stop and interact with on the way...ask them how their day is...weekend plans, etc. Most people at the office like me despite being in evil administration and being a manager.
My gym is around the corner from my office building so I go their at lunch 2x per week to lift and once per week for spin class. On other days I road ride for 45-60 minutes during my lunch hour...or sometimes just go for a walk depending on my mood. We also have a wellness policy at my office where everyone who signs up and signs the wellness contract gets 30 minutes per day of wellness time to do some exercise...so I use that 30 minutes along with 30 minutes or so of my lunch hour.1 -
+1 for getting up and taking a lap around the building periodically. My building has a water cooler upstairs, so I go up there to refill my cup, and use the bathroom up there while I'm at it if needed. I also have an under-desk cycler that I keep in my office; it was about $30 from Walmart. If you work in a shared space that might not be as practical for you. Mine is relatively quiet - my chair squeaks more than the device does - but I could see it being annoying if my coworkers and I were all shoulder-to-shoulder as opposed to divided in our offices and cubicles.2
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cwolfman13 wrote: »I don't really do any "exercises" at work...but I make it a point to get out from behind my desk at least every hour. I am more likely than not to get up and go walk to talk to a colleague or one of my staff about something rather than emailing them or paging them on their phone extension. I also make it a point to "walk the floor" pretty much every hour...I'm usually on the way to the bathroom or breakroom to get some water or something, but I take the scenic route. This gives me the opportunity to not only get some additional movement, but also be visible to my staff and other colleagues who I will stop and interact with on the way...ask them how their day is...weekend plans, etc. Most people at the office like me despite being in evil administration and being a manager.
My gym is around the corner from my office building so I go their at lunch 2x per week to lift and once per week for spin class. On other days I road ride for 45-60 minutes during my lunch hour...or sometimes just go for a walk depending on my mood. We also have a wellness policy at my office where everyone who signs up and signs the wellness contract gets 30 minutes per day of wellness time to do some exercise...so I use that 30 minutes along with 30 minutes or so of my lunch hour.
There's a gym in the same business park as where I work, but it's a "luxury gym" and is absolutely absurd with the fees. I'm debating getting a planet fitness membership again, but I need to continue to work myself up to better and better habits.0 -
Planet Fitness is 100% valid! PF is where my budget is at right now, too. Go ahead and sign up! If you get in there now, you can start building those habits and routine now, so come the New Year when everyone and their dog is joining up, you'll already be a "regular."
edit to add:
I've since transitioned to morning workouts for the most part, but when I first started going to PF, it was on the way home from work. I'd pack a bag with a change of clothes and shoes, a water bottle, a lock, some personal care items (deodorant and hair ties, mostly), and go straight from work to the gym. Even if I just did the 30-minute circuit, or even just walked on a treadmill for ten minutes, that was better than nothing. But I had everything I needed, didn't need to go home where I could accidentally become one with the couch, because I knew if I went home first to change, the chances of me going back out--to exercise, no less--would plummet.2 -
Not everything would apply in a work situation, but you might find some ideas in this thread:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss/p11 -
I drink lots of water at my desk, which makes me need to pee frequently. I skip the potty closest to my office and use the one on the floor below me so I get about 6 trips up and down the stairs in an average day :-)0
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rosebarnalice wrote: »I drink lots of water at my desk, which makes me need to pee frequently. I skip the potty closest to my office and use the one on the floor below me so I get about 6 trips up and down the stairs in an average day :-)
Cosigned!
The first article references a very small study, but I've been reading about results like this for a good 10 years.
Exercise for 3 Minutes, Every Half-Hour, to Counter the Ill Effects of Sitting
Climbing stairs, doing jumping jacks or even taking as few as 15 steps during mini-breaks improved blood sugar control among office workers.
Those 2-Minute Walk Breaks? They Add Up
Walk for two minutes. Repeat 15 times. Or walk for 10 minutes, thrice. The benefits for longevity appear to be almost exactly the same, according to an inspiring new study of physical activity patterns and life spans.
It finds that exercise does not have to be prolonged in order to be beneficial. It just has to be frequent.1 -
anthonyloprimo wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »I don't really do any "exercises" at work...but I make it a point to get out from behind my desk at least every hour. I am more likely than not to get up and go walk to talk to a colleague or one of my staff about something rather than emailing them or paging them on their phone extension. I also make it a point to "walk the floor" pretty much every hour...I'm usually on the way to the bathroom or breakroom to get some water or something, but I take the scenic route. This gives me the opportunity to not only get some additional movement, but also be visible to my staff and other colleagues who I will stop and interact with on the way...ask them how their day is...weekend plans, etc. Most people at the office like me despite being in evil administration and being a manager.
My gym is around the corner from my office building so I go their at lunch 2x per week to lift and once per week for spin class. On other days I road ride for 45-60 minutes during my lunch hour...or sometimes just go for a walk depending on my mood. We also have a wellness policy at my office where everyone who signs up and signs the wellness contract gets 30 minutes per day of wellness time to do some exercise...so I use that 30 minutes along with 30 minutes or so of my lunch hour.
There's a gym in the same business park as where I work, but it's a "luxury gym" and is absolutely absurd with the fees. I'm debating getting a planet fitness membership again, but I need to continue to work myself up to better and better habits.
A gym you can afford and attend is wildly superior to one you will not be working out in
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kshama2001 wrote: »anthonyloprimo wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »I don't really do any "exercises" at work...but I make it a point to get out from behind my desk at least every hour. I am more likely than not to get up and go walk to talk to a colleague or one of my staff about something rather than emailing them or paging them on their phone extension. I also make it a point to "walk the floor" pretty much every hour...I'm usually on the way to the bathroom or breakroom to get some water or something, but I take the scenic route. This gives me the opportunity to not only get some additional movement, but also be visible to my staff and other colleagues who I will stop and interact with on the way...ask them how their day is...weekend plans, etc. Most people at the office like me despite being in evil administration and being a manager.
My gym is around the corner from my office building so I go their at lunch 2x per week to lift and once per week for spin class. On other days I road ride for 45-60 minutes during my lunch hour...or sometimes just go for a walk depending on my mood. We also have a wellness policy at my office where everyone who signs up and signs the wellness contract gets 30 minutes per day of wellness time to do some exercise...so I use that 30 minutes along with 30 minutes or so of my lunch hour.
There's a gym in the same business park as where I work, but it's a "luxury gym" and is absolutely absurd with the fees. I'm debating getting a planet fitness membership again, but I need to continue to work myself up to better and better habits.
A gym you can afford and attend is wildly superior to one you will not be working out in
Oh definitely And money can be a very good motivator at times. Not going to lie. I missed Pact/Gympact. Even if it was only a few cents to a dollar or so, the idea of betting money (and being paid by those that miss their goals) was a unique gimmick, and it definitely coaxed me into making better choices and while I only did smaller wagers, I had started getting bolder and doing better and better with making healthier decisions without having to think about it. 0 -
anthonyloprimo wrote: »While getting a standing desk is currently not an option (oh how I want one at my job), I do want to figure out exercises that are subtle and decently effective, considering. I hadn't been the best at motivating myself to walk in the parking lot every day on break (or nearly every day, and the onset of colder weather has been discouraging me more), but doing things at my desk while I work is definitely something I'm willing to do.
Why can't you have a standing desk? If you're in the US your employer generally has to provide one if you have a letter from a medical professional stating a need.
If you can't get a note there are numerous options to convert your existing desk to sit stand adjustable. Can't see why any employer would mind if you got something like this on your own:
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Theoldguy1 wrote: »anthonyloprimo wrote: »While getting a standing desk is currently not an option (oh how I want one at my job), I do want to figure out exercises that are subtle and decently effective, considering. I hadn't been the best at motivating myself to walk in the parking lot every day on break (or nearly every day, and the onset of colder weather has been discouraging me more), but doing things at my desk while I work is definitely something I'm willing to do.
Why can't you have a standing desk? If you're in the US your employer generally has to provide one if you have a letter from a medical professional stating a need.
If you can't get a note there are numerous options to convert your existing desk to sit stand adjustable. Can't see why any employer would mind if you got something like this on your own:
For all of the good at my job, they won't let me get nor set up nor have them set up a standing desk option (I offered to buy it, then they advised they had one), unless I get a note from my doctor. That's why I mention it's currently not an option. Also, while I do want to get to a doctor soon now that I've had coverage (and recent events have made it less annoying to find a doctor to begin with), I don't have a lot of time nor cash to ultimately pay for a ~$50 letter that basically reads "give this man a standing desk".
Yes there's probably more to it than that but co-pays are the worst, and sadly I need to be picky with where such money goes.0 -
Hi,
To be honest, I will challenge anyone who can offer you any sort of effective' exercises that you can do at your desk. You must go through the initial uncomfortable feeling of battling with your mind when you want to do something more relaxing.
You can start small and build up gradually but stick to it no matter what.
Check out these exercises and take it from there. Good Luck.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT-7tFXtaEo 0
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