Office Exercise

New memo: Working in an office is no longer a valid excuse to remain unfit and sedentary

When working isn't working for your health
We would all like to have a job that allows us to be active and healthy; but the simple fact is that the majority of us are trapped at our desks for 8 hours a day, and we have to resort to the most curious methods to try to combat workplace hazards.

Deskbound workers suffer from a variety of health problems connected to poorly designed office space and ignorance of simple ergonomics. They range from very common ailments, such as myopia, from prolonged close-screen work, to painful conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Many office workers also spend hours seated in uncomfortable chairs, or cram themselves in the same space for too long. These poor work habits give rise to bad posture and back problems, due to compression of the spinal vertebrae in the same position for extended periods. Apart from physical problems, mental fatigue also sets in during a long haul in front of the computer.

Go for DESKERCISE
• It's hard to find time to exercise, but now you don't have that excuse anymore. You may think you don't have time to workout at work, but there are opportunities everywhere if you pay attention. All it takes is a little planning and some inspiration to squeeze in the exercise all day long. You already know the drill about being more active at work.
• Sit on an exercise ball instead of a chair. This will strengthen your abs and back and you'll work on your posture without even trying.
• Set an alarm to go off every hour to remind you to stand up and move around. Even if you just swing your arms or take a deep breath, you'll feel more alert.
• Use the restroom on another floor and take the stairs
• Use a pedometer and keep track of how many steps you take. Aim for 6,000 to 10,000 steps a day.
• Leave something important in your car (your lunch, your briefcase, etc.) so you have to run out to get it (and take the stairs)
• Deliver documents or messages to co-workers in person rather than by email
• Go to the mall for lunch and park on the opposite end of the food court. Don't forget to buy something healthy.
• Get a headset for your phone so you can move around while you talk.

Be creative. Any movement is better than none; so don't feel like you have to do sprints all day long. Adding short bouts of exercise throughout the day will help you burn more calories and will also reduce stress so you can easily smile at your boss when she piles more work on you.
If the nearest gym is 2 hours away, don't fret--your office space can double as your workout area. All you need is your office chair (one which doesn't roll!),
Some office workers are pushing aside their regular chairs to sit on exercise balls, allowing them to get a little workout into their work time, and strengthen their legs, abs and back muscles. What it promotes is active sitting versus passive sitting. You get a low level of neuromuscular activity _ your abdominal and trunk muscles are contracting to some degree. Without that activity, you would fall off. Here’s the latest exercise program for office workers, who spend a little too much time sat down at their desks and not enough time at the gym.

For your triceps, place your chair behind you and prop yourself up by gripping the chair with your hands and lifting yourself off the ground, with your legs straight out. Bend and straighten your arms at a 90-degree angle--you've just done bench dips.


Sitting on your chair do single leg raises to target your quadriceps (front of thighs). Do 20 times on each leg.


Place your one foot on top of the other knee & bend forward to stretch your gluteus (hip) muscles. After sitting at one place for some time, this stretch helps you to relax, refresh & get going again.


Sedentary jobs take a toll on your back. Stretching by rounding your back helps you to relax your back and spine.


Grab the back of your chair, and turn around to look back across your shoulders. This spinal rotation should be done slowly & carefully on both the sides to stretch your back.


While on your chair, straighten one leg forward and bend forward to grab your toe. You will experience beautiful hamstring (back of thigh) stretch. Stretching the hamstring is important because it has been observed that tight hamstring muscles are also a cause for back aches.


Sitting in a position for a long time, relax your leg muscles by raising one leg up, one at a time towards your chest. You will no longer feel sore & tired. Some of these stretches I even do while driving the car at the red lights. Give them a shot and you will reach back your home refreshed even after a long days work.


Back extension exercises not for stretching but strengthening the back muscles. Go down & roll up to extend your trunk. Exhale on the way up & inhale down. Do a set of 20 repetitions for strong & healthy back.


Try these lunges.


For that Jlo butt, try the glute squeezes. Standing with the support of your chair, extend the leg behind you, 20 times each leg.


Try the single leg squats for added challenge. Placing your rear leg on the chair, use your front leg, which bears all your body weight to take you down & up. Change after 20 repetitions on each leg.


Everything starts with a healthy lifestyle
At the end of the day; however, the best solution to workday blues is living a healthy, active lifestyle. Nothing beats adequate sleep, frequent exercise and a balanced diet to keep your mind and body alert throughout the day. So get moving, good luck and see you at the gym!

This article written by Kiran Sawhney is also published on following web site:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=17f530df-4eee-4749-aabf-826c84b82f02
and
http://www.123oye.com/job-articles/health-nutrition/exercise-work.htm