Fitting fitness into a desk job

[lostintranslatn]

As a writer/editor, my job is very much shackled to the computer (and therefore the desk). But sitting still from 8:30 to 5:30 every day is like torture to me--and apparently torture for my body, too! My office is pretty conservative, so standing or doing lunges down the hallway whenever I get bored isn't an option.

In an attempt to overcome the monotony and sneak in some fitness, I do little "physical challenges" instead. Here are some of the ones I keep in heavy rotation:

• Use the restroom on a different floor and take the stairs
• Do squats in the handicapped stall
• Set a timer for ten minutes and sit as straight as physically possible until it's up
• Sneak out for a walk around the block
• Leg extensions, seated calf raises, and other calisthenics I can do at my desk

Do y'all have other physical challenges that you do at work? Ideas for beating the monotony? Please share!

[This is Seth]

Fitness ball instead of a chair. My core is loving it.

Plus, as a bonus, if you want to get out of an uncomfortable conversation with your boss or coworker... just bounce. See how long they can keep a straight face as you're bouncing up and down.

[m00se]

I do sometimes have the occasional day sitting around doing very little, and I find the following helps with everyday fitness:

- if you have other floors in your building, find the toilet the most number of floors away (and challenge yourself to get from your desk to that one and back in the same time it'd normally take you to walk to the nearby one)

- sprint up any and all stairs (like there's a zombie horde on your ass)

- walk nowhere (sprint everywhere, even to the copier - your boss will not mind your increased productivity)

- wear ankle weights (to increase burn with all the sprinting you're going to be doing)

- wear wrist weights and don't let yourself rest your forearms on the desk or keyboard while typing (good when you're sitting typing a lot although it does make your shoulders burn)

- 'sitting planks' (tense your entire core as hard as you can, as if you're about to get kicked in the gut, for 60+ seconds at a time while sitting at your desk: hurts)

Every little helps.

[Shortkaik]

I love your suggestions, lostintranslatn! I'm certainly going to try a few of those out. I'm a software developer so I have similar desk shackles. My trick is to drink a lot of water and use a small glass - so I get up every 20 minutes or so to either refill my little cup or go pee.

[CraftingFish]

I think if her office is conservative, a fitness ball might be out; I know with my office, especially since I sit right outside the "main" conference room, such a thing is pretty expressly forbidden.

That being said, my big thing is walking around 2-3 times an hour. I don't know that I want to do squats in the bathroom quite yet >.<

[lostintranslatn]

Thanks for chiming in, y'all! The thought of bouncing on a fitness ball while my boss tries to talk to me has me laughing quietly at my desk...does that count as fitness-related?

But indeed, due to the formal environment here, I definitely couldn't get away with the bouncy ball. But what about one of these? I've heard you can set them in your seat for the same effect...and it's much less conspicuous! Has anyone tried it?

[The Tin Man]

My list, some are every day and some are less common:

-I go to farther away bathrooms, often making a bathroom trip an excuse to make a 5 min walk around my building.

-Sometimes I take my shoes off and pace a little bit in my cube, though this is easier because there's construction in my area so it's just my cube neighbor that could tell. No foot traffic.

-L seats in my chair, lifting myself up by the arm rests. This is also good practice for working towards a floor L seat because my legs can droop.

-Squats at my desk when my neighbor isn't there.

-Sitting up straight without using the chair backrest, tightening my core to keep my body sturdy.

-Walking around the parking lot.

-Walking across the lot to our corporate center and going up/down the stairs two then one at a time (7 floors, 24 steps between each).

[The Purple Diane]

Wall or counter push-ups in the bathroom if no one is around!

[andygates]

The thinking walk keeps me sane.

[lostintranslatn]

Oh, a few others I forgot:

*One of those hand squeezer thingies to use at your desk

*30-second butt squeezes

*The classic floor-is-lava game--see how long you can go without letting your feet touch the floor (while sitting in your desk chair)

...Maybe all of us desk jockeys should start holding contests every day to challenge each other at work?

[LRB]

LOVE these! Thanks for the reminder(s) that it's possible.