Sedentary work and fitness. How to increase activity?
Everyone understands that an 8-hour working day in a static posture does not bring health benefits. But some find time for fitness , while others once begin to experience unpleasant symptoms of office syndrome: from spinal problems to congestion in the pelvic organs.
Physical activity during sedentary work is necessary, it is good for health, figure and mood. And although everyone already knows that fitness programs with their optimal load are the best solution, not everyone is ready to jump in and start right today. Activity during sedentary work should be increased gradually, and we will tell you how to do this.
Why Charging Is Important
When was the last time you exercised? Don’t remember anymore? Simple exercise right after waking up is the most beneficial daily physical activity, just like breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
Get up 10 minutes earlier, do head and neck rotations, stretch your arms and shoulders in a circular motion, rotate your pelvis, tilt to your left and right legs, run in place, lie on the floor and pull your legs to your chest.
Simple and healthy exercises bring incredible benefits to the body:
- help wake up the body and brain;
- disperse blood and lymph, quickly eliminate puffiness;
- thin the blood without aspirin, supporting the cardiovascular system;
- improve the functioning of the digestive tract;
- improve joint mobility and positively affect the entire musculoskeletal system;
- improve mood and performance throughout the day.
Charging has always mattered in the lives of people with a sedentary job. If you do exercises daily, quickly prepare yourself for more serious and useful loads.
Count your steps
They say that in order to maintain good physical shape, a person must walk at least 10 thousand steps a day. In fact, the number is taken from the ceiling and used in an advertisement for the world’s first Japanese-made pedometer. Modern research on the impact of the number of steps taken on the quality of life has proven that the optimal and useful number is 5 thousand steps. More is possible, but we must keep in mind that after 7.5 thousand, the benefit no longer grows.
Of course, continuous and fairly intense walking is the most useful, but we are talking about increasing activity during sedentary work. Therefore, start counting the steps taken per day, including at work. For this:
- get up more often when possible, forget about the elevator, walk up the stairs more, communicate with colleagues in person, and not in instant messengers;
- try to spend an hour of the break on your feet, and not at the table in the corporate kitchen;
- if you work remotely, and this is the most dangerous job for the development of physical inactivity, go outside;
- if you park near the entrance, walk around the house. 5-minute walks without a goal relieve symptoms of anxiety.
To count steps, purchase a special gadget or install a program on your phone. On the first day, you will be amazed at how little you walk, but aim for the recommended 5,000 steps.
Secret office fitness
Muscle atrophy is one of the most severe consequences of sedentary work. This begins to be felt after 35 years, when there is a natural loss of muscle tissue.
You can knead, stretch and load individual muscle groups right at the workplace, and without attracting special attention to yourself:
- train the muscles of the arms and chest by pressing hard with your palms on the table;
- clasp your hands in a lock above your head and stretch with all your might;
- grab the edges of the seat with your hands and try to pull yourself up;
- connect the feet and knees with great force, straining the inner and outer thighs;
- raise your chin, bring your shoulder blades together, and work like this for at least a couple of minutes;
- do not stand at the printer, shifting from foot to foot, it is better to rise on your toes, lower yourself without standing on your heels, and rise again.
Turn on a reminder and do these simple exercises every hour so that your body muscles work at least a little all day long.
Daily exercises, walking and simple office gymnastics will seriously increase your physical activity and prepare you for fitness classes, which will not seem like an overwhelming burden, but will bring even more benefits to your health and figure.