FITNESS: Staying Active During The Work Day

Our modern lives can be very sedentary.  As office workers, we spend most of our day sitting in a vehicle during our commutes, then sitting at a desk for most of the day. This can be very bad for our hearts since we are not getting enough cardiovascular exercise. Our posture can also suffer.  Neck and back pain are very common for those of us spending hours sitting at a desk.  If you have a desk job, as well, here are some ways to increase your activity levels during the work day:

• Drink a lot of water so that you will be forced to get up and walk to the bathroom
• Set an alarm to remind you to get up and walk around or stretch
• Practice exercises while sitting/standing at your desk
• Grab a coworker or two and go for a walk on your lunch break
• Find an empty office or conference room and stretch or practice yoga during your 15 minute breaks
• Ask your employer if they will purchase a standing desk for you.  I’m fortunate enough to have an employer that provides a personalized ergonomic consultation from our in-house ergonomic specialist.  He recommended a convertible sitting/standing desk and I love it.
• Consider purchasing a fitness tracker to track your activity throughout the day.  Ask your employer to purchase trackers for all employees and participate in fitness challenges to keep you all motivated.  They might say no, but it never hurts to ask!  
• If financially feasible, consider visiting a chiropractor or acupuncturist for weekly or biweekly “wellness sessions” or practice yoga frequently to help your body undo the damage of sitting in one position for long periods of time

The stressful periods of sitting at my desk for many hours while trying to meet looming deadlines and simultaneously dealing with demanding bosses contributed to a debilitating neck pain I suffered with for 3 few years.  With the help of the tips above, I was able to get the chronic pain in check.  It still creeps up during stressful times at the office, but now I have the tools to reduce the pain.

Also, check out the methods and tips established by Dr. Gokhale found at her website.  She visited our office and presented her findings regarding posture during a lunchtime presentation that was also recorded for a public radio show.  It was a life-changing experience!  Did you know there is a “proper” and natural way for humans to sit, walk and even sleep?  I didn’t -- but now that I know, I implemented these tips and my pain has significantly reduced thanks to Dr. Gokhale’s methods.

Think about the new habits you can establish for yourself to get up and get moving for a healthier you.  

Find more tips to stay active throughout the day here:

Staying Active in the Office by Dr. Mercola
How to Stay Active in a Sedentary Job
How to Avoid Weight Gain While at a Desk Job