With bathing suit season here, you want to be beach-ready at any moment. But if you're stuck at a desk for the summer, it's harder than ever to keep those pounds off. Sitting for 8 hours isn't exactly a work out, and combined with fast food lunches and 4 cups of coffee, and you should be concerned for your overall health, too . Luckily, you don't need to spend every waking moment at the gym to make up for your work day. Here are 5 quick tips on how to burn calories and feel better at the office.
Photo from Channel 4 Updates.
1. Walk Around
I know that once I'm in work mode, it's hard for me to break away from the computer and my massive To Do list. But this stagnation is one of the biggest problems leading to weight gain at the office. So every once in a while, go for a little walk. It can be a quick walk around your building, maybe you take a longer route to the bathroom, or just walk down to the corner and back. Getting your body up and moving every hour or two will keep your metabolism engaged and help stave off extra pounds.
Photo from Acclaim Images.
2. Stand while on calls
If you're spending a lot of time on the phone, try standing during the conversation. You can still take notes or use your computer, while giving you a nice break from sitting all day. According to Prevention magazine, standing and pacing during your workday can help burn up to 225 calories per hour. It's basically a mini-workout while you're handling your business calls!
Photo from Inhabitat.
3. Get a Desk Stepper
If you're basically chained to your desk, and don't have time to stand or walk around, invest in a Desk Stepper. These little machines are like mini-stair steppers that can easily fit under your desk. You can use it while sitting down and you can still burn about 90 calories every 20 minutes. It's a good cardio workout and great for your legs, plus you can still get all of your work done.
Photo from Women's Ab Workout.
4. Get your co-workers in on it
Remember when everyone would take smoke breaks? Or coffee breaks? Encourage your co-workers to join you in exercise breaks. Take a walk together or do some quick stretching while you talk about your weeks. This way, you'll have some companions in your office exercising, which helps to motivate you and motivate those around you.
Photo from Calorie Coach.
5. Drink LOTS of water
Drinking a glass of water before a meal helps you eat less, which can help with weight loss, but drinking plenty of water throughout your day has other benefits as well. Staying hydrated will help your body perform better during exercise, but staying hydrated also helps your mind perform better too! If you have a water cooler at the office, bring your own small cup to work. This gives you an added fat burn bonus of taking constant trips to the cooler for more water.
What other things have you tried to stay healthy and remain mobile while working?