Weight Loss Is All About Fat Loss

Office work-outs! 

How to exercise at your desk to stay healthy

Forget Early Morning Jogs or Lunchtime Trips To The Gym,
Instead Do Office Workouts!

Office workers who want to lose weight should stand up while talking on the phone and walk over to speak to colleagues rather than emailing them, according to official advice.

The Government has drawn up workplace exercise guidelines to tackle concerns that most of us are spending too much time sitting down.

And it recommends that desk-bound staff carry out 'office work-outs' to increase activity, fight obesity and improve health.

This could include taking the stairs rather than waiting for the lift and cycling or walking to work.

Staff are also advised to stand up every 30 to 40 minutes when talking on the phone to break up the amount of time they spend sitting down.

The guidelines have been issued by  the Department of Health in response to concerns about rising levels of obesity.

Only a third of adults take the recommended amount of exercise, which amounts to at least 30 minutes for five days a week.

And around six in ten are either overweight or obese – predicted to rise to nine in ten by 2050.

The guidelines state that adults should aim to do some form of exercise every day such as running, cycling, walking or even mowing the lawn. 

Over the course of the week, they should try to fit in a minimum of two and a half hours, including at least two 'muscle strengthening' activities such as heavy gardening, weight lifting or press-ups.

The guidelines also urge workers to try to break up the amount of time they spend sitting at a desk or in front of a computer.

Professor Fiona Bull, from the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University, who helped draw up  the guidelines, said there was growing evidence that long periods spent sitting down could lead to health problems. 

She added: 'Every 30 to 40 minutes, stand up while taking that phone call.

'Don't send the email, walk over and speak to your colleague.'

Dame Sally Davies, the chief medical officer, also urged people to take the stairs rather than the lift and to walk to work or the shops.

Recent studies have shown that desk-bound workers who spend long periods of time sitting down are more likely to die of heart problems, even if they exercise regularly. 

And last month, Canadian scientists found that women who spent more than six hours a day at a desk were 40 per cent more likely to die of heart disease or cancer.

The Government guidelines also state that children over five should exercise for at least one hour a day, with three sessions of 'vigorous' activity, such as running, per week.

The over-65s are also told to do at least two and a half hours of exercise a week to maintain strength and balance.

The Office Workout

Too many work long hours inside an office and do not exercise before or after work. All it takes is a few short years of inactivity and you can add as much as 50 lbs to your frame. This is a nationwide issue that affects our health as senior citizens, young adults and even our children. 

The answer is easier said than done, but easily understood. If you eat more calories than you exercise off in a day, you will gain weight. The opposite holds true as well - if you can burn off more than you consume, you will lose weight. You see, losing weight is not rocket science. You can do it if you stick to a program of moderation in food consumption and daily exercise.

Here are five easy stretches and exercises to get the blood flowing. Slightly increasing your level of activity will aid in increasing your energy level. More energy can lead to greater productivity at your job or school work. All it takes is a few minutes a couple times a day to relieve job-related stress, increase your energy level, and ultimately, make you healthier. 

Before stretching - walk around the office for about 3-5 minutes. Get some water, go to the bathroom... 

Five Key Stretches

(do stretches for 15-30 seconds) 

1) Neck Stretches - Slowly tilt your head toward your shoulder and hold for ten seconds each side. Keep this one slow and easy, the neck is very easy to injure. 

2) Arm Shoulders - Pull your arm across your chest, hook your other arm around it to pull the tension out of your upperback and rear shoulders. 

3) Back / Legs - Lean forward at the waist either from the standing position or sitting and bring your chest toward your thighs. Slowly try to straighten your legs - stretching your hamstrings. 

4) Thigh Stretch - Sit on left edge of your chair or stand. Grab your left ankle and pull it upward toward your buttocks. Switch sides. 

5) Calves Stretch - Stand and lean into your desk with your heels on the floor. Bend your knees slightly to stretch your achilles tendons. 

Five Key Exercises

1) Legs - Squats - Stand in front of your chair and repeat sitting down and standing up 10 times three times a day. 

2) Shoulder Shrugs - Just pull your shoulders as high as you can and roll them forward ten times and backward ten times throughout the day. 

3) Dumbbell Curls - While on the phone, you can grab a dumbbell and do bicep curls for 20 repetitions three times a day. Straighten your arms by your side and bring your hand (dumbbell) to your shoulder. Keep your palms up. Do one at a time if on the phone. 

4) Bench Dips - Using your chair or sturdy table, place your hands on the edge of the object and bend your arms to slowly lower yourself about six inches lower than the seat. Raise yourself by straightening your arms. Repeat this three times a day for 10 repetitions. 

5) Assisted Push-up - In the office, lean up against your desk and push yourself away from the desk while in a leaning position. Repeat this three times a day for 10 repetitions. 

Sometimes the office life can wear you down physically. Revive yourself occasionally with a few stretches and basic exercises. 

Easy Office Workouts