HOW CAN I GO TO WORK AND EXERCISE?

Figuring out how to fit a walk into one's daily work schedule is a persistent problem. An article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch of November 18, 2010 addresses this issue nicely.

Here's what the brief but pithy article says. (I just love being able to use 'pithy' in a sentence!)

*use weights at your desk - store a small hand weight (a full can of soup works fine) and use it to do biceps curls up to 3 times a day. (If you're not familiar, check here to learn the proper way to do biceps curls. Ignore the 10 second advertisement and be patient til you get 57 seconds into the video. You can do them sitting down just fine.)

*take the stairs (do I need to explain this? UP as well as down.)

*do triceps curls while the microwave is heating coffee or lunch - back up to the table or counter, grasp it with you hands, bend elbows, and dip thighs.

*do squats. Stand at your desk every now and then, extend your arms and bend those knees. Go down only as far as you're comfortable which may be only an inch or so at first. Up and down. Hold for a count of 5, working up to a count of 20.

*(and their best hint) walk when you can - around the block, to another cubicle or department, to the printer even if you can roll your chair there.

AND - I'll add these two:

* get up from your desk as often as you can.

* stand up to do some of your work. Nothing says you can't stand while talking on the phone or thinking. You can think and stand at the same time, right??

Doing these little things regularly really adds up. Don't start quantifying it until you've been doing one or two of these activities for a few weeks. Add one new movement each week. Once you've gotten comfortable with a few of them in your routine, start taking note of how many minutes each day you're able to move your body. When you get up to 20 minutes of these activities each day - in any combination - consider this - YOUR BOSS IS PAYING YOU TO WORK OUT and you are very likely increasing your productivity.



***************************Remember my 100% GUARANTEE. Should you decide to stop walking and resume your old habits, I personally guarantee that you'll get back 100% of your former life - your pain, your lifestyle, your attitude. You can trust the information you find here. It's from a dedicated walker. Trust me and your life will get better! I promise.