While going to the gym or doing a workout at home is ideal, you can also exercise during the workday. That can be especially important when you have to work late or attend a function at your child’s school right after work. One way to avoid the problem is to exercise the first thing in the morning, but in a busy household, that’s not always an option. Even when you do work hard to keep a workout schedule, sometimes things go awry. You can have a handy list of ways to exercise during the work day when that happens.
Create the emergency option for those tough days.
We offer hundreds of exercise videos, which also include routines you can do. Look for ones you can do in the office. They might be exercises that are familiar, like squats and lunges or stretches that aren’t as familiar to you, so learn to do the routine at home so you’re prepared and can breeze through it easily with the right form.
You don’t have to do a full half hour workout at a time.
You can break it up in session, as long as you get your body moving. One study showed that people who did twelve five minute workouts throughout the day actually got better results than those who worked out a straight hour a day. In another study, high intensity exercise in short bursts helped people lose body weight compared to those who did nothing. That’s the key. You have to keep moving and moving fast with more intensity is even better.
Do some exercises at your desk.
Chair dips are excellent for the upper body. Working out the kinks in your shoulders and triceps with head rolls immediately afterward gets you ready to go back to work. How do you do a chair dip? Slide your bottom toward the edge of the chair, make sure it’s one that’s stable and not on rollers. Your palms should be on the edge of the chair or holding the sides. Lift forward and slowly lower your body off the chair. Holding it suspended for a count of five and then return to the chair and repeat.
Never underestimate the power of walking. Just getting your body moving is important. You can walk during lunch hour to get in exercise. Vary the speed of your walk, pushing it hard for a minute and then going at a recovery pace for four and back to high intensity walking.
- Whether you’re sitting at a desk or standing, making arm circles boosts your circulation and can relieve muscle tension to make the day better.
- Two exercises you can do at your desk that are subtle are sitting bicycle and seated leg lifts. Just lift your legs and hold them straight out for as long as you can, then slowly lower for leg lifts.
- Practice posture and do isometric exercises for a flat stomach. Sit up straight with shoulders back, then pull in your stomach as far as you can and hold. Doing it throughout the day improves your posture and builds core muscles.
- If you have a private place at the office, do some jumping jacks, wall sits, squats or lunges, five repetitions each, one right after another. Aim for several sets at a time. Take time to make time to move whenever you have a chance. It’s all good.