One common complaint among the cubicle dwellers is we don’t have time to hit the gym. So I have invited our talented fitness trainer Dave to contribute to MiddleMe in this guest post, with his expertise in exercising! So please, if you like this post or have any great suggestions, welcome to input your comments right below!
Sitting at a desk all day can be bad for your health. Obesity, back pain, joint problems, stress…
We can prevent these situations adding some healthy habits to our daily routines. Nothing sweaty or shameful, just healthy 🙂
Obesity
People often say that they don’t have time to be physically active because of long work hours. In the other hand, people who are inactive are more likely to gain weight because they don’t burn the calories that they take in from food and drinks. An inactive lifestyle also raises your risk for coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, colon cancer, and other health problems.
The best exercise for you is walking, I´m sorry. You don´t need a fancy workout, you need to walk. Every work and workplace are different so, here are some ideas.
Walk every time you answer the phone.
Involve your co-workers, download one pedometer app and set a healthy competition.
Lunchtime? Walk!! You´ll return to work feeling refreshed and energised.
Back Pain Relief.
Sitting for hours, particularly if you have bad posture, leads to back pain and aches. But bad posture at your desk goes beyond the obvious slouching. Sitting up straight but curving your back too much can be a cause of lower-back pain as well.
Besides being better aware of your posture as you’re sitting at your desk, try these to relief the tightness:
Sit on the edge of your chair, simulating a quadruped position.
As you inhale, raise your chin and tilt your head back. Push your navel forward and your tailbone backward, arching your back.
As you exhale, drop your chin to your chest and make round your back up as much as you can.
Continue 60 seconds.
Sit on the edge of your chair.
Extend one leg.
Extend your arms as you exhale, and slowly, bend from the waist. Try to reach your toes with your fingers.
Rest, not hold, in the position 30 seconds.
Inhale on your way up, and repeat 30 seconds with the other leg.
Sit on the edge of your chair.
Holding both hands together with fingers crossed, extend your arms in front of you, with palms facing forward.
Raise your arms, with your palms facing the ceiling.
Exhale and bend gently to one side. Breathe as you hold 30 seconds this position.
Inhale on your way up. Exhale, and bend to the other side.
Sit on the edge of your chair with your torso straight.
Roll your shoulders up, then back, then down, in a fluid motion for 60 seconds.
Total: 4 minutes.
Wrist Pain Relief.
Too much typing can cause wrist pain and soreness. Before you’re forced to treat carpal tunnel, stretching may help release tension in the wrist.
Place your arm resting on the edge of the table and hand hanging off, bend your wrist down until you feel the stretch. Hold for 15 seconds and slowly bend your wrist up until you feel a stretch again. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat 3 times.
It´s time to go a little further. Help with your free hand and get a deeper stretch. Bend your wrist down slowly, helping with the other hand until you feel the stretch. Place your thumb under your wrist and gently pull with four fingers. Hold for 15 seconds and slowly bend your wrist up, helping with the other hand pulling back your fingers until you feel a stretch again. Hold for 15 seconds and repeat 3 times.
Sitting with your arm resting on a cushion, bent elbow, rotate your hand, try to look the palm, and keep 15 seconds this position. Rotate the other way, trying to look in the back of your hand, maintain 15 seconds and repeat 3 times.
Total: 4 minutes, 30 seconds.
You can repeat these exercises as often as you need.
Once you don´t feel pain, you can strengthen these and other areas.
For more exercises and how to trim those expanding waistline of yours, why not pop by my friend’s Dave’s Blog? You will find a treasure box full of simple yet useful workout that does not boggle your mind!
Comments