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It is common knowledge that regular exercise is beneficial, even necessary, to stay healthy. However, most people aren’t aware that sitting for long periods of time can be detrimental to health - even for those who workout frequently.
Sitting at a desk all day without a break can lead to headaches, back pain, and stiff muscles. Your body also uses less blood sugar, and the enzymes that regulate blood fats become inactive during long periods of sitting, increasing your chances of contracting diabetes or heart disease, reported Women’s Health magazine.
Keeping your body active throughout the day helps counteract the negative effects of sitting. Break up long periods by walking to a co-worker’s office instead sending an email, sitting on an exercise ball instead of a chair, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. There is also a multitude of easy exercises you can do at your desk. Try some of these simple moves throughout the day to keep your body active.
Football Practice: While sitting at your desk, rapidly tap your feet on the floor like football players running in place for 30 seconds, then repeat 3 to 5 times.
Leg Extensions: Sit in your chair and raise one leg straight out, perpendicular with your torso. Hold it for as long as you can stand, then switch legs.
Bicep Curls: Sit up straight and hold a full water bottle out in front of you. Curl the water bottle in toward your shoulder and then back out, repeating 15 times. Switch arms and repeat.
Lift-Off: Firmly grasp the arms of your chair and lift yourself out of the chair. Hold for a few seconds and lower yourself back down.
Desk Push-Ups: Stand a few feet away from your desk with your feet together. After making sure that your desk can support your full body weight, put your hands down on the edge of the desk. Lower yourself to the desk, like a regular push-up, and then back up.
Chair Squats: Stand up slowly from your chair so that you’re squatting right above it. Hold that position for a few seconds, and then stand up. Repeat 15 times.
Fist Pump: Hold a water bottle in one arm and pump it up and down over your head for 30 seconds. Switch arms and repeat.