12 Ways to Sneak in Exercise at Work

By Craig Watkins

If you asked 10 people their main reason for not working out, 9 out of 10 of them would most likely say, "I'm way too busy to work out."

This might be slightly exaggerated, but the world we live in today moves so fast and it is very easy to let all of the day's responsibilities and obligations take over the things we want to or "should" do. Work, home family... the list can get pretty long.

Working out is no exception.

Without regular exercise, our bodies can very easily become seething volcanoes just waiting to blow.

Following are 12 tips that will help you to sneak in small workouts without adding more time to your already too-busy day at the office!

1) Park further from the office and walk.

2) Ride a bike to work instead of driving if you have the option. Good for you, good for the environment!

3) If you use public transportation, get off a stop earlier and walk if you can.

4) Take something to your car before 5:00 just for the exercise!

5) Take a walk at lunch and eat a healthy meal at your desk.

6) Buy a hand gripper and use it while you are reading, waiting for files to download, etc. Great workout for your forearms and better strengthens your hands to deal with repetitive motion like typing or clicking your mouse. You can also keep small dumbbells or exercise bands in your desk drawer and do arm exercises with them throughout the day.

7) Take a break every hour or so and stretch your muscles.

8) Take the stairs instead of the elevator when possible.

9) If you carry a briefcase, keep a couple of heavy books inside. As you are walking in to work you will get an arm workout. Remember to switch arms. (You can even use the briefcase for some arm curls at your desk when no one is looking!)


10) When sitting at your desk, occasionally lift your legs off the floor and hold them out straight for 15 seconds. This will activate your core muscles.

11) Tone up your butt by flexing for 20 pulses while sitting in your chair! Repeat this 4 or 5 times throughout the day.

12) Only fill your water bottle up half way at the water cooler. That way, you have to get up and walk more often.

You have just read 12 practical and inexpensive ways you can workout at work without adding a single minute to your day! You have to be there anyway, so why not make it worth your while and get the benefits of exercise at the same time! No more "I'm way too busy to workout" excuses!

Did you find these tips on fitting exercise into your work day useful? You can learn a lot more about how you can fit exercise and fitness into your busy life here: Too Busy To Work Out?

Craig Watkins is the author of Fitness for Busy Bodies: Strategies to Fit Exercise Into Your Hectic Life and the owner and operator of FFBB Total Access

Article Source: Busy Workout: 12 Ways To Sneak In Exercise At Work