15 Easy Ways To Stay Fit At The Office

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You may have heard that sitting is the new smoking. Long hours at your desk may lead to a growing list of health problems. If you sit for 7 or 8 hours daily, that’s 35+ hours per week and it’s so easy to get involved in your work and forget about your health. Take a moment to review these 15 simple ways to stay fit at the office:

Stand more – Sounds simple, but stand when you are on the phone or set a timer and stand 3-5 minutes out of every 15. Ask your employer for a standing work station.
Squat more – Stand up, stand beside your desk or behind your chair and do 10-20 squats every 15 minutes.
Drink more water – Skip the colas and drink coffee in moderation, drink more water and keep your water bottle with you at all times. Not only will you stay hydrated, you’ll have clean, healthy kidneys and walk more as you make frequent trips to the restroom.
Sit on an exercise ball – Replace your chair with an inflatable exercise ball, you’ll need to engage your core to stabilize yourself as you sit.
Sit up straight – Maintain good posture when at your desk, if you are short, a small box or foot rest may help relieve pressure on your back.
Use the stairs – Avoid escalators and elevators, always use the stairs.
Use alternate restrooms – Use the restroom above or below yours and take the stairs to get there.
Walking meetings – If you have a short meeting with a coworker or small group, take short laps around the office or outside around the building.
Pedal while you work – Park your stationary bike next to your desk and use it. Transfer to you bike when taking extended calls or conference calls.
Do push ups – Start with simple standing push ups with both hands on the edge of your desk and eventually work down to to the floor.
Park and walk – Park as far as you can from work and walk. If you have a multi level parking structure, park near the top and take the stairs.
Exercise during lunch – If you have an hour, eat a healthy snack and spend the rest of your available time exercising.
Take a nap – A short 20-30 minute nap during your lunch break may be just what you need to power through the rest of your day.
Skip the junk – Don’t keep candy at your desk, or sugary snacks hidden in your drawers. Politely refuse the cakes, pies and “goodies” from office celebrations. Choose fresh or dried fruits, nuts and similar healthy snacks.
Avoid negativity – Every office has at least one unhappy, miserable coworker who would rather complain about their sad life than do something about it. That person would rather feed their sadness and avoid any physical exercise. Don’t let that person bring you down or block the path to your fitness goals.