Fit Exercise in at the Office

Doctors recommend that adults get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of aerobic exercise and muscle strengthening exercises that work the whole body at least 2 times per week. It can be difficult to fit this much exercise into your week if you work a desk job from 9-5 and feel too fatigued to hoof it to the gym after work is over. The good news is that there are ways that you can work out at the office.

One of the easiest ways to work aerobic activity into your day is to park farther away from the office and take the stairs. While these may seem like minor changes, an 150-pound woman can burn up to 100 calories per day just by taking these small steps toward better health. Plus, taking the stairs improves muscles strength and condition and may give you that burst of energy you usually get from your mid-afternoon cup of coffee.

Another way to get your weight lifting requirement in is to wear wrist weights. This may not do much for your leg muscles, but it will help prevent things like carpal tunnel by working the wrist and hands. This is a big health problem for those office employees who spend a lot of time typing on the keyboard. In addition to these three suggestions, consider getting a group of your officemates together to take a 10-minute walk around the building or participate in an office-wide exercise program.