Exercises to do while at your desk

Looking for more ways to burn calories and tone when sitting at my desk while at work. Does anyone have any suggestions? I have brought my yoga ball in with me but looking for more ideas.

Replies

  • jlneifer
    jlneifer Posts: 18
    That would be awesome to have some ideas!!
  • They make these treadmills, foot climbers, etc that you do while sitting in a seat. Amazon used to have such things!
  • lessele
    lessele Posts: 40 Member
    get those rubber bandie things and you can do legs and arms with them...:wink:
  • At work, I generally don't exercise at my desk. However, every hour or two I go to the break room in the back and do lunges (or kicks) around the table. Also, some of the ladies and I do challenges in the office -- we just completed the 100 push up challenge and are now working on the 200 squat challenge.
  • Starzy696
    Starzy696 Posts: 133 Member
    If I can figure how to post pictures to the blog, I have two articles I got from magazines that give some ideas.
  • Does raising and lowering my hand from my mouth to the bag of Smart Pop Kettle Corn I'm currently eating count? *Sigh*
  • misfit34
    misfit34 Posts: 104 Member
    Someone on MFP posted a challenge one day to do 25 jump and jacks everytime you go to the restroom. I do this at work everyday. I have even upped it to 50 now.
  • aerochic42
    aerochic42 Posts: 843 Member
    One I like to do, in part because it is subtle and partly because it's kind of a good stretch, is writing the alphabet with my foot. While sitting, extend one leg out parallel to the floor. Leading with your big toe write the alphabet. try to keep your leg up the entire time. Switch feet and repeat. make it easier by lowering your foot closer to the ground (but keep your leg straight-ish). Make it harder by scooting forward in your chair and lifting more of your leg. Remember to sit straight and engage the abs. Mix it up doing lower case, upper case, or cursive,or change the size or if the alphabet isn't your thing, do like 10-15 circles one way then go the other. I started doing the alphabet because i would forget which way I was circling my foot.
  • TONYAGOOCH
    TONYAGOOCH Posts: 470 Member
    I posted a topic asking abut the under the desk exercise equipment and got zero responses so I bought it anyway. lol It should be here next week. I'm hoping it will help get in some exercise while at my desk.
  • justrun52
    justrun52 Posts: 74 Member
    I do tricep dips off the side of my desk, I also do lunges and pushups when no one else is around haha.
  • mogriff1
    mogriff1 Posts: 325 Member
    Fidgeting burns calories. Tap your feet, bounce your leg up and down, squeeze your legs open and shut, swivel your chair from side to side, tap your fingers quietly on your desk, etc. Get creative. It's been proven that fidgeting as opposed to sitting still will result in more calories burned. Just move something! :wink:
  • drgooch
    drgooch Posts: 68 Member
    I posted a topic asking abut the under the desk exercise equipment and got zero responses so I bought it anyway. lol It should be here next week. I'm hoping it will help get in some exercise while at my desk.

    You're so funny my dear....lol
  • misskerouac
    misskerouac Posts: 2,242 Member
    I found this chart of stretches a while back when my back was really bothering me, I've done some of them here and there.

    office-stretches.jpg
  • Anna800
    Anna800 Posts: 639 Member
    I take a one hour walk during my lunchbreak, then eat my lunch at my desk. I burn 207 calories walking at a leisurely pace.
  • draculaspointer
    draculaspointer Posts: 106 Member
    I started walking for 30 minutes over my lunch breaks. Now I run for 30 minutes. Also, when I get up to use the restroom, I take an extra lap around the hall way, then do 25 jumping jacks and 25 calf raises. I do that in the mornings and in the afternoons I do squats or lunges and arm circles. I also drink A LOT of water...then I have to get up to release the water more often :P
  • busymommyx3
    busymommyx3 Posts: 40 Member
    I also walk during my lunch breaks I leave straight from my office so that I can get a full hour in. I just eat my lunch at my desk and work at the same time so I don't have to use that as my lunch hour. I usually get a little over 3 miles in. I try to do leg lifts under my desk when I remember. Another thing I do in the office is walk up and down the hallway while I am running copies or wating for a fax etc. Anytime I get the chance to do anything active at work I do it, because I realized that sitting at my desk for the last 6 years and going out to lunch everyday has been a huge contributor to all the weight I have gained :(
  • tmos512
    tmos512 Posts: 119 Member
    There was a lady at my work who had an under the desk bicycle thingy. I have also heard get an exercise ball and sit on it instead of your chair.
  • microMXL
    microMXL Posts: 51
    very good suggestions, I'm going to do pushups in the server room
  • jreed1920
    jreed1920 Posts: 123
    I have been using http://www.fitbolt.com it has a little toolbar on my browser that gives me a new exercise or stretch every 30 minutes. It is free and you can configure frequency, types of exercises, etc.
  • IrateBeth
    IrateBeth Posts: 42 Member
    I had tried several different things in the office (working from home now, it's easier).

    I have ankle weights (the adjustable kind), I would sometimes wear them around the office. I'd take longer than usual/meandering ways to get places (instead of a b-line to the break room, I would circle the whole floor to get there). If I was not walking from one end of the office to another, I would do leg lifts ,or I'd take them off and do curls.
    Another thing, if it was 4 floors or less up... I would take the stairs. Anything over that (and here is where I get weird) I would walk up 4 floors and then take the elevator the rest of the way (sometimes).
    Also: Only 3 people ever noticed the weights.

    Also: park far away, take walks, etc.