Negosentro.com | 10 Ways You Can Stay Fit While Working a Desk Job | If your job is one that requires you to work at a desk for 40 or more hours per week, it can be damaging to your health and make it hard for you to stay fit. Sitting for hours every day can cause a range of negative health effects including back problems, weight gain, varicose veins and heart disease. Fortunately, there are ways you can protect your health so that your job doesn’t take a toll.
1. Make Healthy Food Choices
Diet has a substantial impact on your health and on your ability to stay active. Sitting all day can affect your mood and can lead to stress eating. Rather than indulging in unhealthy snacks and eating too much, make conscientious food choices. Limit sugars, unhealthy fats and processed foods and opt for fruits, whole grains, vegetables and lean proteins to optimize your diet.
2. Supplement for Maximum Nutrition
Even a healthy eater may need additional help getting adequate nutrients, and that’s where supplements come in. Quality supplements such as those from Power Life are formulated to give your body what it needs for balanced nutrition, energy and muscle support.
3. Stay Hydrated
When sitting all day, it can be easy to overlook hydration, but this is a dangerous mistake. The recommended daily intake of water is 8 cups. Without adequate water, it’s easy to become dehydrated which can lead to a variety of health problems. Make it a point to take a water bottle with you to work and to refill it regularly.
4. Take Walking Breaks
Even while working a demanding desk job, it’s possible to find time to move. Since you should be drinking adequate water, refilling regularly will allow you to get up and stretch your legs. To avoid getting stuck at your desk, set an alarm that will prompt you to get up once every hour to take a brief walk down the hallway, to the restroom or up a flight of stairs.
5. Stretch Regularly
Stretching is another valuable tool that can help you throughout your day. When you sit at your desk for too long, it can limit blood flow and make your joints and muscles tighten up. Regularly performing simple stretches such as reaching your arms up over your head or twisting your torso one way then the other, can help you stay limber.
6. Maintain Good Position
Similar to stretching, varying your sitting position can be very beneficial to blood flow. It’s also important to maintain a position that will not cause more strain. Avoid hunching your shoulders, jutting your neck too far forward and curving your spine, especially for long periods of time.
7. Exercise While You Sit
There are many amazing products on the market designed with today’s office workers in mind. For added balance, core strength and posture control, you may consider trading your office chair for an exercise ball. Additionally, there are several workout products designed specifically to use at your desk including under-desk ellipticals and bicycles. If you have no equipment you can do isometric exercises that involve tensing and releasing individual muscles in order to maintain strength.
8. Stand if Possible
One option that has become popular with office workers in recent years is using a standing desk. There are many benefits to using a standing desk including burning more calories each day, increasing blood flow, improving mood and lowering your risk of heart disease.
9. Workout After Work
It is important to exercise in your off-time in order to be at your healthiest. For best results, differentiate your workouts and set an exercise schedule. For example, you could do exercises that work your upper body on Tuesdays and Thursdays and exercises that work your lower body on Mondays and Fridays.
10. Get Decent Sleep
In order to be at your healthiest both in and out of work, it’s important to get adequate sleep. Sleep is necessary for important body processes including digestion, muscle building and immunity. To make sure you are getting at least 7 hours of sleep per night, set a sleep schedule and commit to it. If you have trouble falling asleep, turn off distractions and listen to soothing sounds for relaxation.
