Burn calories all day long...yes...even at a desk job...

Once upon a time, I too sat at a desk from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. By the time I left for the day, I felt stiff, my energy was zapped and the first thing I wanted to do when I got home was lay down on the couch and continue my move-less life. BUT that is no way to treat the one body that we have for our entire lives. Our bodies are made to move, not be still. Therefore, in a society of desk jobs, we need to be intentional about getting the movement our bodies need…not just at the gym…but in every day life. Try the following suggestions for a couple weeks and watch your energy soar, your muscles tighten and your spirits raise. In the long term, will pay off!

Become a people person. Instead of sending an e-mail to the person on the floor above you or across the office, go talk to that person. I totally get the importance of a paper trail, so send a follow-up e-mail after you meet…but get your rear end out of your chair and go visit people.

Take the stairs. This isn’t a new concept. If you have the choice between an elevator/escalator and the stairs, take the stairs. Just five minutes of climbing stairs burns a whopping 50 calories…guess how many calories you burn taking the elevator…ZERO.

Give up your parking spot. Why do we try to find the closest possible parking spot even when we have to circle the lot several times or wait for someone to back out of their spot. We could have spent that time walking (i.e. exercise) from our car to our destination. So try this, choose the furthest parking spot from the door at the office or at the store.

Take a stand. while talking on the phone, pace your office or just stand up. If possible, ask your company to put your computer up high so that you can work while standing.

Transform your office or cubicle a personal gym. Do squats in and out of your chair, dips off your desk or even get a few pieces of equipment that you can hide in a desk drawer and pull out for a few reps when no one is looking. An exercise band is great for bicep curls, back pulls and front raises. Or get an exercise ball and replace your chair…you’ll improve your abdominal strength as well as posture.

Implement the buddy-system. Find a co-worker who wants to move more too and help get each other moving over the lunch hour...take a walk, climb stairs together, etc. Research shows that having someone to be accountable to increases commitment as well as goal reaching!