You may need to stand up for this news.
Sitting at your desk all day is actually bad for you. Findings by UCLA researchers uncovered that sitting too much is linked to changes in the section of the brain that is critical for memory. The results of MRI scans in 35 participants aged 45 to 75 showed that sedentary behaviour is a significant predictor of the thinning of the medial temporal lobe. This cannot be reversed either by just deciding to for a run at the end of the workday after spending eight hours glued to your desk.
Your brain isn’t the only part of your body that is suffering. Sitting at your desk all day actually changes your metabolic mechanisms so much, that sitting for long periods is in fact associated with an increased risk in diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure all which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
We’ve put together some simple deskercises to help you stay active and healthy in the workplace:
1. Make A Stand
Ok, so this doesn’t seem like a traditional exercise but standing up after sitting for long periods helps decrease diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
Standing can also help you significantly increase your daily caloric expenditure.
Make a stand whenever you can, at your desk, at the printer, in the breakroom. You could even encourage your coworkers to have standing meetings and set an office trend!
2. The Seat Squeeze
This is a really discreet exercise you can do for your isometric glutes. To get started just squeeze the buttocks and hold for 5-10 seconds before releasing.
Repeat as many times as you want. This exercise will keep you uplifted in more ways than one 🙂
3. Seated Leg Lift
Simply sitting at your desk straighten out both of your legs and hold for 5-10 seconds. You can do one leg at a time if you want to do it discreetly. Just be careful not to high kick your colleague because that will be a bit awkward to explain.
4. The Swivel
This one is my favourite because if you are lucky enough to sit in a fun swivel chair you cannot help but swivel. You can use this twirl to your advantage. Sit upright, hold onto the edge of your desk and swivel the chair from side to side.
This is great for working out your oblique abs. Why not make it more fun and swivel around in circles if you can handle it!
5. Step it up
Ok, isn’t an exercise you can do at your desk. But, taking the stairs is a great way to burn some extra calories. You can elevate your heart rate and help you tone. Feeling brave? Why not try some step exercise while you are at it.
