Whether you work from home or in a communal office, here are a few ideas to get you active and promote weight-loss whilst you are at work. Being more active helps you burn more calories and helps weight loss. It also improves immune function, reduces fatigue and reduces stress levels!
Desk Height
If you sit all day, you are at greater risk of serious illness. People with sitting jobs have a higher rate of cardiac disease as people with standing jobs. If you do sit at work all day, vary your desk heights. If possible have a number of desks at various heights that you can move between throughout the day. If possible, try working whilst standing – which will help you to burn fat while you work.
Use Chairs & Other Equipment
- Swap your office chair for a gym ball. It may seem like a crazy idea but they’re great for core stability
- Hand grippers – very cheap to buy or just use a tennis ball – squeeze during thoughtful moments to improve grip strength and relieve stress
- Pedometer – strap on a pedometer for the day – it might encourage you to walk more!
- Use a regular desk to perform adapted push-ups during dull moments – increase productivity and burn fat at the same time!
Do Some Squats
Squats are a great exercise – they can increase your metabolic rate and give your legs and backside a good workout. You can do them anywhere, and it is easy to blend a few squats in to your working day. Why not do a few squats whilst waiting for the kettle to boil, or your computer to boot up?
Begin with chair squats:
- Stand in front of a stable chair (without wheels), with your feet shoulder width apart and your toes pointing slightly out
- Keep your shoulders back and your chest out throughout the movement
- Keeping your weight on your heels, slowly lower yourself backwards onto the chair – keeping a straight back, and tensing your tummy muscles
- Don’t flop down – use your muscles to hold you so that your backside is just touching the chair
- Keeping your weight on your heels, stand back up to your start position
- Repeat 5 times!
Once you’ve mastered chair squats, try them without a chair (hold onto a desk if you need to).
Stand & Walk During Meetings
Studies show that meetings are more productive, creative and shorter if individuals walk around during them. Weather permitting, you could hold them outside in a quiet area.
Get Some Light
Get outside as much as you can – take a paper notepad and pen outside if you have any creative thinking or planning to do. Use the mobile to make calls and walk around outside.
Position your work space in such a way as to take advantage of any natural light. Vitamin D is produced by our body when we are directly exposed to natural light, and low levels of Vitamin D have been linked to poor immune function and weight-gain.
Getting plenty of natural light during the day can also help you to sleep better at night. Lack of sleep has been linked to weight gain, so ensuring you get plenty of bright natural light in the mornings is a good idea.
If you need extra help with weight loss, we can help! Contact us or give us a ring on 087 930 7575.