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Faizan
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all healthy adults to get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week, it's easier said than done -- especially if you're stuck in the office during the bulk of your day. After all, the modern workplace is hardly conducive to physical activity, thanks to sedentary workstations, working lunches and email messaging. If you really want to increase your aerobic activity, take a few minutes out of your busy schedule and get moving so you don't have to sacrifice fitness for productivity.
Working Out Lunches
Eating lunch at your desk can lead to a day of inactivity. Instead of noshing while you work, take a 30-minute break, suggests the Harvard School of Public Health. That way, you can take 20 minutes for a quick aerobic workout, like walking around the office block a few times or going for a lunchtime bike ride, and then eating for 10 minutes afterward. Your lunch then becomes a reward for sneaking in 20 minutes of aerobic exercise -- and it might just inspire you to skip the burger and choose healthier fare.
Extra Stop
If you take public transportation to get to work, good for you -- you're reducing your carbon footprint and saving on gas. But taking the train or bus to work isn't helping your fitness level if you're dropped off at your office. Instead, try catching an earlier ride and getting off just one stop before your usual stop. You'll be forced to walk the rest of the way, which raises your heart rate and is considered aerobic activity. It might take an extra five minutes, but it means you can cross five minutes of cardio off your to-do list.
Take the Stairs
You've probably heard the advice a million times -- if you want to sneak in some extra cardio, skip the elevator and take the stairs. But just climbing the stairs can be boring and unchallenging, so try a full stair workout. It'll raise your heart rate and help you work your legs as well. Instead of just walking up the stairs, try running. If walking is too easy, take two stairs at a time to challenge yourself. You could even kill two birds with one stone by lunging as you walk up the stairs, which helps improve strength as well as cardio fitness.
Jump Rope
If you have the room in your office, a jump rope is a lightweight, small piece of cardio equipment that you can tuck into your desk drawer and use for a quick aerobic workout. If you're listening in on a conference call or seminar while muted, for instance, grab your jump rope and start with a basic jump. The American Council on Exercise suggests getting comfortable with a basic jump and then trying to jump backward or bringing your knees higher to increase the intensity.
Working Out Lunches
Eating lunch at your desk can lead to a day of inactivity. Instead of noshing while you work, take a 30-minute break, suggests the Harvard School of Public Health. That way, you can take 20 minutes for a quick aerobic workout, like walking around the office block a few times or going for a lunchtime bike ride, and then eating for 10 minutes afterward. Your lunch then becomes a reward for sneaking in 20 minutes of aerobic exercise -- and it might just inspire you to skip the burger and choose healthier fare.
Extra Stop
If you take public transportation to get to work, good for you -- you're reducing your carbon footprint and saving on gas. But taking the train or bus to work isn't helping your fitness level if you're dropped off at your office. Instead, try catching an earlier ride and getting off just one stop before your usual stop. You'll be forced to walk the rest of the way, which raises your heart rate and is considered aerobic activity. It might take an extra five minutes, but it means you can cross five minutes of cardio off your to-do list.
Take the Stairs
You've probably heard the advice a million times -- if you want to sneak in some extra cardio, skip the elevator and take the stairs. But just climbing the stairs can be boring and unchallenging, so try a full stair workout. It'll raise your heart rate and help you work your legs as well. Instead of just walking up the stairs, try running. If walking is too easy, take two stairs at a time to challenge yourself. You could even kill two birds with one stone by lunging as you walk up the stairs, which helps improve strength as well as cardio fitness.
Jump Rope
If you have the room in your office, a jump rope is a lightweight, small piece of cardio equipment that you can tuck into your desk drawer and use for a quick aerobic workout. If you're listening in on a conference call or seminar while muted, for instance, grab your jump rope and start with a basic jump. The American Council on Exercise suggests getting comfortable with a basic jump and then trying to jump backward or bringing your knees higher to increase the intensity.
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