My At-Work Exercise Program: Fitting In Fitness at the Office

A Workout Plan That Tackles the Problem of Sedentary Jobs

After having gestational diabetes during my second pregnancy, I didn't fully shake it postpartum. I was "pre-diabetic" for more than a year, teetering on the fine line between diabetic and not. Something had to give, and since a junkfood junkie like me could never give up chocolate, I had to come up with a physical solution.

Being a busy working mom means I don't get a lot of time to myself when I'm at home, so it's hard to commit to DVDs or working out in the basement. Plus, I really can't see myself spending less time with my kids during the week. I only get a couple hours in the evening with them, half of which is spent feeding dinner, cleaning up dinner, getting baths and nudging the boys through our bedtime routine.

There is one place, however, where I spend a great deal of my day five days a week: the office. I decided that if I was going to make lifestyle changes to improve my health, I was going to have to find some ways to combine exercise and work. Through small changes, I was able to lose 15 pounds in 4 months. Here is how I did it.

NOTE: Before bringing any exercise equipment into the office, check with your supervisor. Explain the consequences of sedentary jobs and the benefits of moving throughout the day. Before you implement any exercise program, talk with your doctor.

Under-Desk Mini-Bike
You will find plenty of people who snub the under-desk mini-bike because they don't feel it burns enough calories to make difference. But any movement is better than none. Even fidgeting in your chair burns more calories than just sitting there. I purchased an under-desk mini-bike for about $30 on Amazon that doesn't have a ton of bells and whistles, but does have a small LCD screen that displays information such as total revolutions, calories burned, and time.

With a little practice, I now easily pedal and work at the same time, burning anywhere from 200 to 400 calories a day, depending on the number of meetings I have. At the end of the day, I usually log between 45 and 120 minutes of exercise. I've also noticed that my focus and productivity seems to be better when I pedal, probably because of the extra blood flow to my brain.

A couple things to note:

• The calorie-burn feature is only an estimate. I'm a small person to begin with so I don't believe I burn what the pedaller tells me I do. I wasn't losing weight when I followed it. I shave off 5 to 10 minutes for each session when I log the exercise into my calorie tracking software and that seems to work best for me. You may get more accurate readings if you use a heart rate monitor. Otherwise, you'll have to use trial and error to estimate your calorie burn, too.
  
• While working and pedaling, it's easy to lose track of what you're doing. This can lead to overworked muscles and, well, getting quite sweaty. Take breaks and be sure to keep yourself appropriately hydrated and fueled. Set a timer if you have to, and keep some baby wipes and deodorant handy, just in case.
  

Wrist Weights/Dumbbells
When you are processing information (either on your computer or in your brain), pick up some hand weights and put in a 15- to 20-repetition set. When a colleague comes in to talk about anything, pick up your hand weights and do another set. Basically, anytime your hands come off the keyboard, take a minute to strengthen your arms, chest, shoulders and back. Just make sure you are using slow, deliberate movements from the beginning to the end of the motion.

Here are a few weight exercises you can do right at your desk:

• Seated shoulder presses - Hold your hand weights out to the sides of your body with your hands facing forward. Raise your arms up over your head and return to the start position.
  
• Seated bicep curl - Hold the hand weights at your sides with your palms facing in. If your chair has armrests, you may have to modify this exercise a bit by moving the arm rests and/or sitting on the edge of your seat. As you lift both arms up, turn them so that your palms face your body. Pull all the way to your chest, and then reverse the motion to return to the start position.
  
• Seated tricep press - Hold one weight with both hands above your head. Keep your elbows close to your head and lower the weight behind your head. Return to the start position and repeat.
  

Stability Ball Exercises
When I'm not peddling my under-desk mini-bike, I'm sitting and bouncing on my stability ball. I have an adjustable keyboard tray installed at my desk, which allows me to transition from my chair to an appropriately sized fitness ball without changing the way I type. While simply sitting on the ball isn't likely to make drastic changes in your wellness , you can do some exercises to strengthen your core.

• Ball Crunch - Roll forward so that the ball is positioned at the small of your back, and then do some abdominal crunches.
  
• Reverse Crunch - Slowly lean back until your abdominals are fully engaged, and then hold the position for a count of 10.
  
• Sitting Challenge - Balance on your ball and slowly lift your legs out in front of you, maintaining your balance.
  
• Figure 8s - Isolate your hips to roll forward to the right and back, through the center to the front left and back to create an "8" motion.
  

Chair Exercises
If you don't have a stability ball, there are other exercises you can do in your regular office chair. While many chair exercises are designed for seniors or those with limited mobility, they can provide adequate resistance training for desk jockeys, too. Here are a few exercises to get you started.

• Hinge and cross - Work on your abs by sitting with knees together and your heels off the ground. Place your hands behind your head with elbows out to the side. Tighten your abs as you bring your right elbow to touch your left knee, return to the start position, and then repeat by bringing your left elbow to touch your right knee. Do not move your shoulders. Repeat for 20 repetitions.
  
• Seated leg extensions - While sitting on the edge of your chair, keep your back straight as you extend and raise one leg. Pull your toes toward your body and raise your leg as high as you can. Hold that position for three seconds, and then return to the start position. Repeat with your other leg.
  
• Seated press up - Sit toward the edge of your chair with your palms on the sides. Keep your feet flat on the ground in front of you. Push down with your arms to raise your body up and slightly forward. Hold for a few seconds and return to the start position. Repeat this motion.
  

Additional References:
NBC: 50 No-Sweat Ways to Burn Calories
Forbes: The 10 Best Exercises to Do at Your Desk