Deskercise: 20 Ways to Stay Fit at Work

Keeping on a fitness routine requires good planning and time.  Sometimes in a busy life and work schedule, it is hard to make it to the gym for a workout.  As a result of busy life challenges, more and more individuals have to skip on the daily workout as a result of a child’s track meet, a late-day meeting, or due to work travel.  While work may exude a challenge for many individuals, luckily there is relief.  Listed in this article are 20 ways you can continue to burn energy at work and to avoid gaining weight while staring at your computer screen all day.

20 Exercises to Stay Fit at Work

1. Have you ever been told you fidget too much and cannot sit still?  Well, this is actually a good quality.  Researchers have demonstrated that fidgeting in a seated position can increase energy expenditure by 54 percent when compared to a supine lying position [1].  The next time your leg starts to shake or your hand and fingers start to tap, consider it more energy burning for your health.
2. Toe Tapping. If you are lucky enough to listen to music while at your desk, consider tapping your toes to favorite songs to increase energy consumption.
3. Sit breaks. If smokers in the past were allowed to take 15 minutes to go outside for a break, why can’t you get up to walk around the office for five minutes?  This break in sitting time will help slow fat storage and will prevent your body from reaching a restful state.
4. Work in a secluded cubicle or office with a door?  Set your alarm on your phone for every one hour at work and perform 15 body weight squats every hour.  After eight times during the day, you are certain to burn off your sugary coffee.
5. This is an extension on sitting breaks, but instead of walking around the office for five minutes, stand up for five.
6. For the individuals who sit in front of the computer every day, this one is for you.  Set an alarm on your phone for every two hours and perform a standing hamstring stretch, quad stretch, shoulder stretch, forearm stretch, and some arm circles.
7. Push-ups. This is not usual at work, but if you can perform some push-ups, your deskercise will take off.  Every time you use the bathroom at work, make a plan to perform 15-20 counter push-ups using the counter sink.  This type of push-up simulates a decline bench press at the gym and it will help work the core and entire upper body.
8. Calf Raises. These can be done anywhere at work.  Simply stand for a few minutes and perform heel-ups or a calf raise using a straight leg until you can no longer perform anymore.  Do this three times throughout the day for optimal results.
9. If you are fortunate to work at a place with more than one story (many buildings have more than one level), then you are in luck.  Make it a goal to prevent taking the elevator or escalator for the next month and substitute it with stairs.  In addition, attempt walking stairs at work following lunch time to help prevent that midday tiredness.
10. Try these wherever you safely can in the office and invite your co-workers in a lunging competition.
11. Tall seating posture. Remember when your mom told you not to slouch on the couch?  Well now it is coming back to you.  Avoid using the chair back rest to help strengthen the core.
12. Not exactly the most intensive form of exercise, but the kagel can effectively strengthen the pelvic floor muscles in women [2].
13. Glute squeezes. These can be completed while seated.  Squeeze your buttocks and hold for 30 seconds.  Try this at least three times throughout the day for a firm rear.
14. Deep breathing. This will not burn too much energy, but deep breathing will help regulate stress and anxiety levels.  Perform about five minutes of deep breathing using the stomach at the most stressful part of your day to relief tension.
15. Leg holdouts. Similar to what you may see in a Pilate’s class, holding one leg out in front and off the ground will work the hip flexors and lower abs.  Hold a straight leg in front for about 30 seconds and switch legs.  Sit up tall during the holding for benefit in the abs.
16. Abdominal bracing. Try this at least three times at your desk per day for a tone and firm abdominal area.  Contract and tighten the abs as if you are bracing for someone to punch you in the stomach.  Hold the bracing for about 15 seconds, rest, and repeat.
17. Trunk twists. Standing trunk twists help tone the core and loosen the spine.  Perform these in the morning when you first arrive and towards the end of the day to help stay loose.
18. Overhead stretch. The overhead stretch is good following any prolonged work.  Simply inhale, reach the hands above, exhale and reach further towards the ceiling.  Hold this for about 30 seconds and repeat two more times.
19. Leg extensions. Seated leg extensions may not be the same as your weighted leg extensions at the gym, but they can definitely tone and use energy.  Sitting tall, extend one leg out, hold it for two seconds, and lower down.  Repeat on the same leg until fatigue occurs.  Switch legs.
20. Walking work station.  Walking workstations are the wave of the future.  Researchers at Arizona State University have been working on and fine tuning the walking workstation for years.  Designed to walk at a slow pace of about one mile per hour, the walking workstation can increase daily physical activity and use more energy than from sitting all day [3].

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