Sneaky fitness: easy ways to fit more activity into your day - Brief Article

Vibrant Life, March-April, 2002 by Kelly James-Enger

Was one of your New Year's resolutions to get more exercise? If you're like most people, it may seem impossible to fit regular workouts into your busy schedule. The good news is that you can reap the benefits of a more active lifestyle simply by sneaking more activity into your workday.

Forget the notion that exercise counts only if you do it for 30 minutes or more. Even 10-minute sessions of everyday activities like walking will help strengthen your heart, burn calories, and tone your muscles, says Michael C. Meyers, Ph.D., director of the human performance research center at West Texas A&M University. The bonus is that taking these brief breaks will stimulate your metabolism and give you a natural energy boost.

"It's a total change from doing mundane things at your desk," says Meyers. "Doing something physical stimulates the whole system." Read on for easy ways to boost your overall fitness on the job:

Walk away. Nothing beats a quick walk to clear your head--step outside for a change of scenery, or, if the weather's bad, head for the stairs and walk up and down for a couple of minutes, says Meyers.

Take a dip. Sit in a stationary chair with your feet out in front of you. Gripping the edge of the chair and keeping your back straight, slowly lower your body eight to 10 inches and then return to the original position; it will boost your heart rate and tone your shoulders and triceps.

Do it yourself. Run your own errands, no matter how menial, suggests fitness instructor Martica Heaner, coauthor of Cross-Training for Dummies (IDG, 2000). Every time you get up from your chair you burn a few extra calories and keep your muscles in working order.

Squeeze it. Keep a tennis ball or racquetball on your desk, and squeeze it as you talk on the phone. It will increase your hand, forearm, and grip strength, and relieve tension as well.

Shrug it off. One of the best ways to reduce neck and shoulder tightness is performing simple shrugs. Stand up with your hands hanging at your sides, and lift your shoulders as high as you can before returning to your original position. Repeat 10 times, and then slowly lower your head toward your chest and take a deep breath.

Save your gas. If you drive to work, leave your car five blocks away from your office and walk the difference, suggests fitness expert Julie McNeney of The Fitness Group in Vancouver, British Columbia. Then increase the distance away you park for longer walking sessions. (If you take the train or bus, just get off at an earlier stop.)

Take the long way. When you head to the bathroom or go for a drink, take the longest route possible, or add a few quick laps around the office before you return to your desk.

Tighten your tummy. When sitting at your desk, do a few chair crunches. Grasping the sides of your chair for balance, lift your legs and pull your knees toward your chest; then slowly lower them back down. Keep your back straight as you do the crunches; as you become stronger, try to do them without holding on to the chair.

Be helpful. Volunteer to lift or carry that heavy box into the office--just be careful not to strain your back. You'll burn a few extra calories and maintain upper body strength as well.

Take the stairs. Avoid the elevator whenever possible, and opt for the stairs instead. If you work on the thirtieth floor, try getting off on the twenty-fifth floor instead. And if it's only a flight or two, the stairs are quicker than waiting for the elevator anyway.

Kelly James-Enger is a writer living in Downers Grove, Illinois.