A job that doesn't require you to move a lot, and even makes you seem glued to your chair, staring at a computer screen five days a week, is not only boring but also dangerous for your health. Sitting continuously for long periods of time every day is allegedly associated with various health problems, including obesity, high cholesterol, heart disease, and even cancer. Fortunately, there are certain practical ways that allow you to get your blood pumping and burn calories while still getting your work done on time. Check out Step 1 below to start burning calories at work.
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Method 1 of 2: Burn Calories Away From Your Desk
Step 1. Have a business discussion on foot
Instead of sitting in a stuffy office or conference room having an important business conversation, if you have the chance, why not do it while taking a walk outside? If the weather conditions allow, this practice can actually be more uplifting and satisfying than holding a meeting while sitting, which usually tends to invite drowsiness. However, for some reason this kind of practice is still less popular. Walking while talking gives you a great opportunity to burn calories without having to leave your job. As you walk you can have discussions, hold meetings to discuss relevant work issues, or discuss future plans. Walking can even recharge your energy, and give you more energy than usual to tackle those tasks!
Step 2. Make your commute to work an opportunity to exercise
One of the best and undeniable ways to incorporate exercise into your daily work routine and start burning calories is to view the commute to work as a challenging opportunity to exercise every day rather than as a burden you have to carry to get there. office. Try in every possible way not to make you sit in the car during the morning traffic. If that's possible, and you live close enough, you can walk or bike to work. If not, take public transportation and find the nearest stop that can be walked or biked to complete your commute to work.
Over time, avoiding car use can actually save you a lot of money. You have almost nothing to spend on cycling and walking – except for the expense of buying shoes and/or replacing your bicycle parts. The cost of public transportation can be a sizable expense, but compared to the gas you have to buy every week or two (not to mention the cost of maintaining the car), it's often cheaper
Step 3. Set up a mini sports club at work
Any exercise is made easier when you do it with other people who can support and encourage you, so, if possible, consider starting an exercise group at work with your coworkers. This practice is actually quite common, especially in small companies or start-ups. As part of your routine, perhaps you can set 15 minutes before lunch each day for mini-workouts that focus on relaxing the muscles – Monday, Wednesday, and Friday you can focus on your arms and have a “push-up club”, while Tuesday and Friday Thursday you can focus on the abdomen and have an “abdomen club”. The options are countless, limited only by your tastes and those of your coworkers.
If your boss allows, you may need to advertise your sports club at rest areas, during lunch breaks, etc
Step 4. Step outside during your lunch break
Usually a lunch break lasts about an hour at most, depending on your workplace habits. If you have time, use your break as an opportunity to do a short aerobic training session. Try to take a brisk walk, jog, or bike to your destination, if possible. If you're ordering takeaway, you might want to try walking while eating your food.
Step 5. Walk briskly at work
Make the most of every opportunity you get to get up and move! If you have to walk around the office, try to move quickly. You don't have to run fast and run the risk of bumping into someone in order to gain the advantage by picking up speed – simply walking at a faster pace than usual can help you burn more calories. You may be surprised to find that constant brisk walking can be a great exercise, especially if your job often requires you to keep moving throughout the day.
Step 6. Plan a business trip that fits your fitness needs
While business travel can have you traveling around the country (or even the world), sometimes you don't get the chance to actually move. Long hours on planes, buses, cars, trains, and the like can negatively impact your efforts to burn calories. Worse, many business meetings are held while eating a variety of foods that indulge the tongue, but are calorie-dense. So whenever the opportunity arises, plan ahead. Bring exercise equipment (such as a hand gripper or exercise band) so you can do the exercise at the hotel or in your chair while traveling. Better yet, try to book a hotel that has a gym or fitness center for guests. When traveling, you will be away from your source of comfort, but this is no reason to neglect your body.
Step 7. Do weight training to increase your metabolism so you can burn more calories at work
Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue (73 more calories per kilogram per day, to be exact), so the more muscle mass you build, the higher your resting metabolic rate (RMR). Imagine that every muscle cell you gain is like a tiny factory that continuously burns calories for you, even while you sleep, and works even faster when you exercise. Building muscle with weight training, and strength training, or the like outside of work is a reliable way to ensure that you burn as many calories as possible at work, even on those rare occasions where you have to sit still.
Step 8. Greet the caffeine, but ignore the sugar and cream
There is some evidence to support the theory that caffeine can help you lose weight, although the relationship between the two is not concrete. Caffeine may be able to help you burn more calories by activating the process of thermogenesis – the way in which your body produces heat and energy. Caffeine can also suppress your appetite, so you eat less than usual. However, the most beneficial aspect of caffeine consumption is simply that it can give you the energy to sharpen your focus – for example, to walk a little further on the treadmill or to squeeze your hand gripper one more time.
However, don't rely too much on caffeine as an aid in exercise or weight loss. Caffeine can't replace actual exercise and, if you consume too much, all the calorie-burning effects pale in comparison to your state of being restless and nervous
Method 2 of 2: Burn Calories on Your Desk
Step 1. Make (or buy) a standing desk
The best way to burn calories while working at a desk can be obtained by eliminating the factors that keep you from doing anything, just sitting still. Instead of sitting all day, try moving to a nearby desk, counter or cabinet, and, if that's high enough, place your laptop there and work standing up. If it's too low, try stacking some sturdy cardboard to support your laptop so that it sits higher. Standing burns more calories than sitting – the exact difference varies from person to person, but is generally around 50 calories per hour.
On its own, 50 calories isn't much, but over time even this little extra effort can pay off. Let's assume you stand at work for 4 hours a day – that's 200 calories per day. For 5 working days a week, that's 1,000 calories. This figure is high enough that, holding other factors the same, your weight may begin to decrease, albeit gradually as the body needs to gain or lose 3,500 calories in order to gain or lose 0.5 kg of fat
Step 2. Work on a treadmill
Nothing is better for your health than a standing desk, namely a treadmill desk or a walking table. Working on a treadmill allows you to do light exercise while working – in addition to burning calories, you'll also find that walking while working will increase your energy levels and motivation. Walking tables are available in the market, although they are a bit expensive. If you have access to a regular treadmill, a more affordable option is to purchase (or make, or improvise) a special stand that allows you to place your laptop on an inclined surface that most treadmills have.
You don't even have to jog or sweat to benefit from working on a treadmill, but the faster you walk, the more calories you burn
Step 3. Purchase a balance ball chair (a chair that uses a balance ball instead of a seat cushion)
Believe it or not, it's not impossible to burn calories and tone your midsection simply by changing the type of chair you use. If your office can't provide one, consider buying your own balance ball chair. When you sit in this particular chair, your body should stretch your core muscles (around your chest) to keep you upright and balanced. Over time, you'll feel a slight "burning" sensation in your midsection, which indicates that you're using your muscles (and burning calories).
As an added feature, the balance ball chair allows you to move up and down slowly while sitting, so you expend a little extra energy and burn more calories while doing it
Step 4. Use a hand gripper, a small barbell, or an exercise band
If you can't do cardio or work your core at your desk, you still have the option to burn calories with your upper body. A variety of options are available for working your upper body as you work – some of the most common are squeezable hand grips, small barbells, exercise bands, and so on. This option is cheap, small and light. This kit offers the perfect exercise opportunity when you need to read something, whether on a computer screen or on paper, because while reading you probably won't have to use your hands as much. Take this opportunity to squeeze your hand gripper, work your biceps, or do exercises with an exercise band. The more often (and vigorously) you do this exercise, the more calories you will burn.
Step 5. Perform movements like a restless person
Some studies show that low-level activities (eg, tapping your feet and hands, twisting your hair, moving your limbs when you talk, etc.) can help burn extra calories and improve your overall fitness. In fact, one study found that obese people should imitate activities that lean people do on a daily basis, including a tendency to fidget around, so that they will burn about 300 extra calories per day. If all other factors remain the same, this means a weight loss of about 15 kg per year!
