Health Tip: Make sure to exercise throughout your 40-hour work week to ensure long term health and wellness.
Research proves that the sedentary workday contributes to disease and shortened lifespan, even for those of us who exercise regularly. So what can you do to stay active throughout your 40-hour (or more) work week? We call for an 8-5 fitness program because, while most of us clock in at 9, it is a simple and beneficial start before you slip on those heels.
After you wake up, find the biggest room and lunge back and forth for two minutes. Then, get down on a carpet or mat and do push ups for one minute, followed by a wall sit held for two minutes.
At work, consider these options: Squeeze a stress ball at the desk to strengthen your wrists and prevent or treat carpal tunnel. Always use the stairs and walk to your co-workers desk instead of calling or emailing; always practice good posture; suck in your abdominals while seated; conduct calf raises at the copy machine, and do seat dips in between reports. At the very least, alternate often between sitting and standing.
On your lunch break, stand outside the building and do wall sits. What many office workers have been doing is taking walks to replace the conference room sit-downs. They’ve found that not only does it inject a healthy activity into the day, but it also adds to the attentiveness given in these often mundane, meetings. Take a look at this TED talk from Nilofer Merchant espousing it’s many benefits. The result turns an otherwise detrimental day into a productive one for both your health and your paycheck.
