Desk jobs are the ultimate buzzkill when it comes to staying on a fitness plan. There’s nothing more jarring than having a great, active weekend only to park yourself in a chair and stair at a computer screen for 3, 4, 5 hours at a time. Not only that, but offices tend to lend to temptation at best and outright poor nutrition at worst. Donuts, while great for employee morale, aren’t the best choice for employee wellness, and many offices still show up with the baker’s dozen over the fruit tray.
Don’t assume that your desk job is a ticket to poor fitness, though. There are a LOT of ways you can keep your fitness level up and active without resorting to TreadmillDesk.
Sure, you can buy a yoga-ball chair like the one above for your desk, and that will definitely help. However, there are exercises you can do for free in any office chair ever invented. The blog WorkAwesome has a collection of five exercises that will help relieve some of that tension, including this gem:
Abdominal Crunch Desk Exercise
Even though no one likes to admit it, sitting for long hours at a desk can lead to a bulging waistline. This can be a cause of stress for many. You can combat this enemy with a simple crunch desk exercise done directly from your office chair.
- Sit on the edge of your seat.
- Lean back from the waist, keep your back straight.
- Hold the seat of your chair with both hands.
- Lift both legs up, keeping your knees bent while tightening your abdominal muscles.
- Straighten your legs holding your heels a few inches off of the floor.
- Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you have completed 10 repetitions.
For most of us, abdominal exercises are not fun. However, if you can master this one you will be well on your way to developing a stronger and leaner midsection. This exercise will strengthen your core and help promote better posture.
Exercise, nutrition, and willpower – all three lead to wellness, and all three are totally possible no matter what desk job you may or may not have.
What are some of your tricks for staying active despite a desk job?
