There are a lot of obstacles that will get in the way of your health at work.
Your co-workers love to be loved by you, so they bring in the goodies! Many will bring in baked goods or have those tempting little jars of candy and chocolate at their desk.
Some bring in doughnuts and pastries and stick them in the break room, knowing that they will be gobbled up in no time. I mean, come on, they are free and so tasty. It is an easy trap to fall prey to!
You have some major deadlines that are going to keep you glued to your chair for almost the whole day. A few hours go by, and you haven’t even stood up to take a bathroom break.
Your back is starting to ache, and your neck is all cramped up. You know you should take the stairs or get up and stretch, but you just don’t. You think to yourself, “I’ll do better and getting up next time. My back and neck always hurt anyway.”
As you stare at your computer screen, you notice the water bottle that you brought to work. You had every intention of drinking your 64 ounces today but find yourself craving that diet coke at the vending machine.
You work at a doctors office that is notorious for having drug reps bring in lunch. It is usually a lot of processed food like pizza and subs, and again, it’s free and tastes so good. The chicken salad you brought to work is pretty boring (you should have put bacon and avocado on it), and you let it go bad as you down 4 slices of pizza.
There always has been and always will be a ton of obstacles at work that will keep you from feeling healthy and fit. You don’t have to be perfect and always avoid the obvious things that can make you feel terrible. You just need to do a few things right each day.
Here are five simple, easily implemented ways you can stay fit, active, and healthy at work. Try to add one of these this week!
Tip 1: Get a standing desk
This was a lifesaver for me. For the past few years, I 
battled some nasty hip and back pain. My hours on the floor as a personal trainer went from 40+ hours to about 15 or so a week. I was at my desk doing a lot more writing and admin work. After my first hip surgery and herniated lumbar discs in 2015, I just couldn’t’ take it anymore. So, I got a standing desk.
The benefits were immediate. My back and hip were substantially better, and I even had more energy.
Some of the major benefits of getting a standing desk are:
- Lower risk of weight gain
- Improved blood sugar levels
- Lower risk of heart disease
- Reduced back pain
- Improved mood and energy levels
- Improved productivity
Tip 2: Brown bag your lunch
The benefits here are two-fold. You control the quality and quantity of the food you eat. Most likely if you go out to eat you will end up overeating, and getting something that isn’t the best option. It also reduces your chance of eating bad food if you skip your lunch break, you can just eat it at your desk and continue to work. Packing your lunch also saves you money. Less Money + Less Pounds = Big Gains.
Tip 3: Drink a ton of water
Hydrating may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many of my clients fail to drink enough water while at work. Water is your foundation, so it is crucial that you consume at least 64 ounces depending on your activity level and the amount of muscle your carry. The easiest way to do this is to always have a water bottle at your desk and in your car. This planning will ensure that you get enough water and that you don’t drink too much coffee and soda as well. If you forget to drink it, set a timer that reminds you to take a drink every 10-minutes or so.
Tip 4: Stock up on healthy snacks for work
Keep healthy snacks at your desk for impromptu hunger pangs and reaching into that candy jar in the cubicle next to you. The benefits? Keeps you
satisfied and saves you trips to the snack machine where temptation lurks. Ideal boosts for mid-morning blahs include portable fruit like bananas, figs and apples, trail mix, almonds and all natural peanut butter. For the p.m. stomach rumblings, dip into a bag of pre-cut carrots and dip them in low-fat cottage cheese or hummus. Also, have some nutritional bars such as Rx bars and Perfect Bars. around when you are in a jam and busy at work. The worst thing you can do is go hours without food, so make sure you are always prepared.
Tip 5: Take advantage of your lunch hour.
Even if your lunch hour is more like thirty minutes, you can get your heart pumping by taking a brisk walk around the building or by doing fifteen minutes of stair climbing. When the weather’s nice, find a co-worker who also wants to get into shape and head out for a fast lunchtime stroll. You’ll feel invigorated after your workout and will probably be more productive later in the day. An even better idea is to hit the local gym or even your worksite gym if there’s one available. For a great stress reliever take 15-20 minutes to do some stretching or Yoga to help lengthen out those stress out and tight muscles!
