10 Ways to Firm Up at the Office

 If getting into shape topped your New Year’s resolution list this year, you are not alone. Gyms see a surge in membership in January when multitudes resolve to remove their holiday heft.

Busy working women, however, often have precious little time to exercise. If you are one of the many women who preside  over your 5’x5’ cubicle domain or  office chair throne and worry that you are (literally) sitting your life away, your fears are legitimate: a study by the American Cancer Society has proven that sitting for 6 hours or more per day increases one’s risk for cancer and other diseases.

Staying fit when your job demands gluing your glutes to a chair should therefore be seen as a necessary challenge, not an impossibility. Try incorporating 30 minutes of exercise into your daily routine with some simple cubicle calisthenics, the goal of which is to change your position and your heartrate for brief periods throughout the day.  Here are some easy ways to do that:

1. Take a Walk: Pedometers are a painless way to chart a quick course for change. Clip on a pedometer and challenge yourself to see how many of the recommended 10,000 steps per day you can achieve while at work.

For instance, instead of emailing the woman across the office  from you, walk to her desk to ask your question.  Step outside on a nice day and amble around the block on your lunch break — or make it a  social experience by asking a co-worker to stroll with you. Walk in place at your desk while you’re on that important business call with corporate.

2. Climb the Stairs: There is no need to run to the gym for the Stairmaster. If your office has a flight of stairs, or 20, you can get your blood pumping any time you like.

3. Run in Place: No time to leave the office or the weather outside isn’t  conducive to exercise?  No worries. Jog in place in your office or at your cubicle.

4. Do a Few Jumping Jacks: Kick your sharpheels off and do ten jumping jacks to get your blood pumping again. Raising your heartrate, even briefly, provides health benefits.

5. Stretch & Tone Cramped Muscles: Our bodies are designed for movement, so sitting for long periods does not feel natural, because it isn’t. Stretching at your desk will awaken muscles that tend to doze off during those long, chair-bound periods. Flex your feet to stretch calves and arches that often cramp from standing and walking in heels.

6. Strengthen your Quadriceps with Leg Extensions: Sit with your back and tailbone pressed firmly against the back of your chair. Adjust your chair so that your thighs are parallel with the floor and your feet are planted on the ground. While keeping your back straight and eyes forward, flex your foot and extend your leg up until fully extended. Return your leg to the starting position with your foot resting flat on the floor. Do 10 repetitions, then switch to the opposite leg.

7. Stretch your Back and Sides with Side Bends: While sitting up straight in your chair, lace your fingers together (palms away from you) and raise your arms above your head. Reach toward the ceiling and feel your spine elongate and stretch. Now slowly lean to the right, then to the left, holding for a count of 10 on either side.

8. Stretch Tight Arms, Shoulders and Back: If typing away at the keyboard has your back and shoulders in knots, stretch them at your desk for instant relief. Bring one arm up and over your shoulder to reach down toward the middle of your back, as if to pat yourself in the center of your spine. Then bend your other arm around your back and up toward the center of your spine until your fingertips can lock. (Do not worry if you cannot interlock your fingers yet. You will still benefit from the stretch.) Hold for ten seconds. Repeat.

9. Desk (or wall) Resistance Squats: If your desk is sturdy, you can use it for this exercise — if not, try a nearby wall. While standing, lean against a side of your desk or against the wall. Lower yourself into a squatting, or almost sitting, position until your thighs are flat. Hold this position for 10-30 seconds before standing. Do this 2-3 times.

10. Isometric Abdominal Crunches: Do not assume flabby abs are a cost of doing business sitting down! You can do isometric ab crunches anywhere you are, and you don’t have to lie down on your office floor to do them. (Your 2 o’clock conference call will have no idea that you are shaping up while discussing shareholders!) Sit up straight at your desk and place your feet flat on the floor. Squeeze your abdominal muscles tight and hold them for ten seconds or more. Repeat.

Should you have trouble remembering to exercise during your workday, especially in the beginning, calendar it for yourself or set a reminder on your Smartphone. Before you know it, you will have created healthier habits and feel fit and fabulous!