With all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, finding time to squeeze in exercise to stay fit may seem like a monumental task. Who has the time with all there is to do?! What if I told you that you can find that extra time to exercise during the holiday season during your work day? It may sound crazy, but with some creativity and a few simple changes to your everyday routine, staying fit at the office during the holiday season is possible.
One easy way to stay fit at the office during the holiday season is to get more steps during the work day. That could mean that you start parking further away from your building to make the walk farther; if it is cold outside, then just walk faster or even jog! Either way, you are doing something good for your health. Another way to add more steps is to take the stairs instead of the elevator. You can also walk over to a colleague’s desk instead of emailing or calling them. These all seem like small things, but every little bit helps!
You can also suggest that your weekly standing meetings actually become “standing” meetings by having attendees stand or walk around the room for the duration of the meeting. Another strategy for getting more steps in during the day is to take a walk during your lunch break. You can even multi-task by also getting some holiday errands done during your walks; maybe you can walk to the post office to mail your holiday cards, or walk to a nearby shopping area to pick up some gifts!
Besides getting more steps in a day, squeezing in some toning exercises is another example of ways to stay fit at the office during the holiday season. You can do isometric exercises right at your desk without anyone knowing! Here’s a few to try:
-Lift your legs straight out off the ground under your desk and cross at the ankles, push your bottom leg up against your top leg. This tones your hamstrings and quadriceps.
-Place palms flat up under your desk and push. This tones your biceps and triceps.
If you have your own office, you can get very ambitious and lift dumbbells or use exercise bands during teleconferences, or complete a strength training routine during lunch. There are also now many websites that offer free streaming workouts; workouts range from under 10 minutes to an hour, so you are sure to find something to meet your need and can stream using your smartphone.
If you follow these tips for staying fit at the office during the holiday season, you are sure to enter the New Year being “ho-ho-healthy”!
You are so right that we all need more exercise around the holidays. I’ve often taken the stairs when going down as I’m leaving work, but I struggle going up. I haven’t considered the leg lift under my desk though. Thanks for the tip.
I may have to try some of these. Any exercise is a definite help!
It’s so hard to keep fit in my office around the holidays. Just too much temptation around but this is great. thanks
I WALK ALOT SINCE I LIVE IN A BUILDING WITH NO ELEVATOR SO ITS VERY EASY FOR ME TO GET A WORK OUT
especially around the holidays i make an effort to avoid the elevator and get up and move around when i can. these are useful tips.
I do the same thing Bianca!
Every article I read about aging stresses the importance of regular exercise. Exercise helps our mind and body slow the aging process
I exercise during all my breaks and my lunch at work. We have a gym in the building and I get in there whenever I can.
It’s so hard to stay fit around the holidays (i’m snacking right now) but it’s important to limit oneself
I failed at this this year! Maybe next year 😉
Will definitely keep in mind that leg exercise. I’m sure it will come in handy 🙂 thanks!
These are great ideas because I definitely need more exercise during the holidays. My job requires me to sit a lot so it would be great to incorporate some of these exercises in my daily routine.
Right on the money with the need to keep active. These are great ideas! Probably should include laying off the oreos (guilty of it).
This is awesome. Did not realize I could work out while in the office.
I came across this article, which was written years ago, but still great pointers, especially when working from home.
Such great tips even for outside of work!