Today I was lucky enough to be invited to the Health Expo at the State Revenue Office here in Ballarat. I got to speak to a lot of people about nutrition and health & fitness.
But my main focus today was to encourage the staff who sit at a computer screen all day to get up and move. This is the advice I gave them.
What the typical adult does at work is sit at a desk for eight hours, plus a sitting-down commute both ways and an evening spent in front of the TV. Sitting all day increases our risk for obesity and puts us at risk for back pain, poor posture, leg cramps, tense muscles and sheer boredom. THERE IS SOMETHNG YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.
Exercise is simply the act of keeping your body busy, using your muscles and bones while your heart keeps pumping. You may feel you have no time to do any such thing amid all the rapid-fire e-mails and six-person conference calls. You’re not alone. There are exercises you can do right at your desk to keep your body moving. They’ll help you improve your body’s flexibility and strength with nothing but a few minutes and your desk chair. Just remember to check with a doctor before starting any exercise regimen. Try and get up and move every 30 minutes throughout the day.
Try some of the following exercises to add activity to your day;
20 Chair Squats- stand up in front of your chair and squat down until your bottom touches the edge of the chair without your knees going past your toes. Then stand-up and repeat for 20
20 Chair dips- Place your bottom on the edge of your chair, then place your palms on the edge of the chair either side of you. Keep your feet together and bend at the elbows and dip down then push back up.
20 Desk Pushups- Stand with your hands on your desk and walk your feet backwards away from the desk until your torso is straight. Then bend your elbows so that your chest moves closer to the desk then breath out as you push up.
20 Leg Extensions- sit at your chair with your lower back pushed into the back of the chair, tummy sucked in and shoulders back. Then one leg at a time, straighten your leg and point your toe to the ceiling. Hold for 5 seconds then lower and do the other leg. You can add weight to your leg by hanging something over your ankle (book, hand bag etc)
1 minute plank- lie down on your tummy. Pull your elbows in below your shoulders and your palms flat on the floor. Lift up your tummy and hold your bottom cheeks tight keeping your torso straight. Point your toes down. Remember to breathe. Hold for as long as you can and extend your time each time you perform this exercise.
Shoulder/upper back stretch- put one hand behind your back and the other over your shoulder and clasp your hands together. Push your elbows back and hold for 20 seconds.
Remember that our bodies will not change if they are comfortable and if you don’t make any changes- NOTHING WILL CHANGE!!!!
