Good morning. Get dressed. Eat breakfast (maybe?). Take the kids to school. Make the commute. Eight to five grind. Lunch somewhere in between. Commute home. Maybe work from home. Take care of the family. Make dinner. Eat dinner. Get ready for bed. Go to bed. Goodnight. Repeat.
Sum
up your day pretty well? Mildly repetitive, a routine of events that’s become
comforting online in its methodology. And between those late nights at the
office, lunch meetings, and trying to maintain your personal life, it can feel
like there’s no time left in the day to go to the gym. We understand how hard
this is, so we’ve compiled a list of ways you can keep active in an environment
that tries to glue your nose to a screen all day.
Bike/foot commute
This may feel like a big commitment, and to a certain
extent it is. You do have to wake up earlier, bring a change of clothes with
you and pace yourself to ensure you make it to work on time, and depending on
how far from your workplace you live, this may not even be an option. For those
of you who live relatively close to, however, this has a number of advantages.
In addition to being eco-friendly, not paying for gas, and never having to fuss
over parking again, you won’t have to worry about when to work out because your
cardio exercise has already been programmed into your work day. Plus, being a
bike commuter is growing in popularity and many major cities around the world
are beginning to paint bike lanes to make the experience much safer.
Take the stairs
Similarly to the first point, taking the stairs is an
easy way to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. This one, thankfully,
does not require a change of clothes and not nearly the same time commitment.
Taking the stairs is a good, low intensity cardio workout that you can do in
the office, your apartment complex, school, university – wherever you may find
yourself. You can do this at the beginning and end of your work day, and you
can also take breaks when you’re bored or stressed in the day to run up and
down a couple flights.
Stay on your feet
No need to stay stationary all day! When you’re meeting
up with someone in the office, stay standing. For example, meet in the break
room or in the doorway to your office rather than at a desk. You would be
amazed how many more calories you burn and how much more awake and energized
you will feel when you’re not seated for hours on end.
Pack a lunch
Lunch breaks can lead to an influx of way more food than
you need. Restaurant portions are often unnecessarily large and talking over
the meal keeps you too distracted to actively watch how much you’re eating.
Furthermore, it can be difficult to determine even approximate macronutrient
intake. So, whip out your grade school lunch box and bring healthy, nutrient
rich lunches with you to the office rather than risking the restaurant scene
and host lunch meetings in your office instead. The environment is quieter and
more private anyway.
Switch the snacks
Keeping a dish of candies on the desk may seem inviting
and sweet, but it also encourages you and those around you to mindlessly eat
unhealthy foods when they’re not hungry. Switching out your jelly bean bowl for
mixed nuts or assorted fruit will eliminate the temptation of sweets and even
improve your eating habits as you will be eating snacks with both nutritional
content and filling capacity, which can prevent you from overeating later.
Hydrate
We suggest that you aim to drink on average 2 litres of water each and every day, and even more if you’re highly active. With your body energized and hydrated, your mind will be much more engaged and focused, enabling you to be much more efficient at work.
We suggest that you aim to drink on average 2 litres of water each and every day, and even more if you’re highly active. With your body energized and hydrated, your mind will be much more engaged and focused, enabling you to be much more efficient at work.
Take
a lap
Movement is necessary not only for fitness but also for
focus. When you’re feeling overwhelmed with your work, get up and move around
the office. This may include getting up to chat with your coworkers (which can
serve as a refreshing mental break), or it could simply be taking a lap around
the office, or (boss permitting) even around the block. Your short cardio
workout will be a good way to get your blood pumping and by the time you’re
back in the office, you’ll be well rejuvenated!
Stretch break
There are few things more taxing on your back than
sitting hunched over a desk all day, every day. Sitting sedentary in this kind
of position can lead to back and neck pain and even leg restlessness, which is
enough to drive anyone nuts with the jitters. To reduce the onset of your
antsiness, get up and have stretch! Do this periodically, ideally about once
every half hour. This will keep your blood flowing with minimal effort,
allowing you to stay energized and wary of your posture.
Teamwork makes the dream work
The hardest part about keeping fit is resisting the
unhealthy temptations of the world around you, and doing this alone can be
particularly taxing. One way to help curb this temptation is to find a workout
buddy or group. Your group can function as a support system, reinforcing your
dedication to fitness. Every group is different, but working together can
promote such events as healthy dinner parties and post-work exercises..
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