Staying fit and healthy can be a challenge for everyone, but it is especially difficult for anyone who is forced to sit at a desk all day. Unfortunately this is the norm in the modern-day workplace since so much business is conducted online and on a computer. If you think physical laborers have it hard, think again. The real difficulties are faced by desk workers.
Having a sedentary job where you might only walk back and forth to the bathroom or water cooler throughout the day can lead to health problems later on in life. If this is your current lifestyle, you have to take the necessary measures to stay as active as possible. Here are a few tips to help you along the way.
Meal prep every Sunday to start the week off right
Maybe you don’t see morning donuts, trips to the vending machine, and fast food lunch breaks as a bad thing, but these common office eating habits are the main culprit of poor health. You can try to avoid these bad habits as much as possible, but if you don’t pack your lunch then you are bound to eat junk food.
Packing lunches each day might seem like a hassle, so try to spend some time meal prepping over the weekend. If you have time to pack the kids’ lunches for school then there is no excuse not to pack your own. This will avoid unnecessary trips to McDonalds when you’re short on time for lunch. And try to drink lots of water throughout the day!
Adopt a healthy morning routine
Whatever you do try not to set your alarm 30 minutes before you need to be at the office. The morning should be treated as “me-time” where you enjoy a good breakfast, get in a quick workout (or just walk the dog), and find the motivation to conquer another day.
Motivate your colleagues to be active with you
Your fellow employees are most likely finding it as challenging as you are to stay active at work. So motivate each other! You can set up an intramural soccer league within the office, organize outings to hiking spots near you, or even organize a weekly morning yoga session within the office.
Get a Fitbit or step tracker
You can’t spend the entire day preparing administrative assistant interview questions or staring at your computer skin. Get up from your desk at least once an hour and take a lap around the office. Instead of taking the elevator, opt for the stairs. One of the best motivators to push you to get up and stretch your legs is investing in a FitBit.
FitBits, Apple watches, or another step-tracking device will actually alert you when it is time to move around. You can set your target number of steps each day and the FitBit will hold you accountable. It serves as a great motivator when you track and share this data with friends and family. Make a competition out of it to see who can get the greatest among of steps throughout the week.
