Sitting all day at work? Here Are 7 Easy Ways To Burn More Calories
Maintaining a healthy weight leads to a healthy life. “Burning extra calories” has become a norm among youngsters concerned about their physical structure and body weight. People who sit all day at work burn fewer calories or use less energy. Sitting at your desk throughout the day without having a break-even for ten minutes can trigger health issues silently. High blood sugar, increased blood pressure, excess body weight around your waist, and increased cholesterol levels may occur in the long run.
According to an analysis of studies focused on sitting-time and related activities, prolonged sitting for over eight hours posed a similar risk of death caused by smoking and obesity. The studies also found that moderate but intense physical activity up to 75 minutes removed the effects of too much sitting. Yet, there are simple and easy ways that will help you to burn extra calories gained sitting all day at work.
7 Easy Ways To Burn More Calories
1. Taking Frequent Breaks
In a digitized office, employees need to be at their desks during work hours. Staring constantly at the monitor is not only tiring for our eyes and brains; it is also tiring for our bodies. It is good to move away from our chairs and stretch our hands and legs.
Walk to the pantry to refill your water bottle or walk to the restroom or move to the windows to breathe some fresh air. After sending emails to your team members, you can walk to their desks and discuss in person. This will help you move around and be active and not feel lethargic or tired. If you are working from home, take a few minute breaks to go out and look at the fresh flowers in the garden.
2. Stretching Your Body
Prolonged hours of work at the desk will make us feel cramped. There are two stretch exercises we can do at our desks which would relieve stress and burn calories.
First, do the side-stretch exercise. Sit straight and raise your arms above your head. Hold on your hands together, lean to the left, till you feel a gentle stretch along your right side. Hold on for ten to twenty seconds. Then, lean to your left, till you feel a gentle stretch along your left side.
Next, do the seated cat or cow exercise. Stretch your hands over your head. When you exhale, curve forward, and now your body will resemble a “C” shape. Next, inhale your breath, arch back, and expand your chest. Switch between two positions as you inhale and exhale.
3. Maintaining Your Posture
Sitting in the slouched position at your desk may look comfortable. But maintaining proper posture while sitting at the worktable helps to avoid neck pain and back pain.
Sitting up straight, keeping your abdominal muscles tight and your shoulders pulled back helps you maintain the correct posture. It will burn extra calories and keep you away from back pain. To tone your midsection, suck in your abdominal muscles and keep them tight for 60 seconds. If possible, use a stability ball instead of your desk chair. Stability balls help to burn extra calories and maintain correct posture.
4. Raising Your Calves
Standing-calf-raises exercise helps to burn some calories and tone lower legs. While sitting and working at your desk, you would not strain your calves much. But this exercise will help to strengthen your calves.
Sit straight with your feet flat on the floor. Raise your heels off the floor as far as possible. Then, lower your heels and repeat it ten to fifteen times. Press your hands against your knees to build resistance as you lift your heels. Do this exercise with flat slippers.
5. Pretending to Walk
Getting up from the chair and moving away from your work table helps to burn unwanted calories and avoid gaining more weight. If you can’t get up and walk, you can pretend to walk while sitting at your desk. It will help you burn some calories.
First, sit straight and keep your knees bent. Lift your right leg and lower it. Then, lift your left leg and lower it. Repeat it as many times as you like. Tighten your butts as you walk. It will help you burn your extra calories and tone up your back. After completing your walk, extend your leg slowly at least ten times to work your thigh muscles.
6. Using Standing Desk
Start using a standing desk for a minimum of four hours. Standing instead of sitting for a while will help you burn up to 50 calories.
Using sit-stand desks has been proved scientifically to improve concentration, productivity, and creativity. Standing at work increased productivity from 10 to 20%, preventing excess fat and sugar in the blood. It also improved my overall mood at work.
Studies have found that up to 62% of participants in a stand project reported they were happier throughout the day at work. Increased blood flow boosted creativity and helped employees to share creative ideas during team meetings and brainstorming sessions.
7. Tapping Your Toes
Dancing at work may not be possible unless you work at home or in your private cabin. But no one can question if you tap your toes while sitting at your desk. Keep your heel on the floor and start tapping your toes at least 25 times. Then, you can have your heel as your pivot point and tap your foot 25 times, side to side.
One foot at a time, you can do alternatively. If you do this exercise more than once a day, you will burn extra calories considerably. Besides shedding calories, it will strengthen your shin muscles as well.
Conclusion
Sitting all day at work may be tiring for both body and mind. Tight work schedules may prevent you from doing workout exercises. The easy ways discussed to burn extra calories will help you utilize your time to maintain good health.
Sitting long hours slows down metabolism. It slowly leads to weight gain. The simple exercises discussed will help you burn extra calories.
Cultivate the habit of taking a break from sitting every one or two hours. Avoid lifts and walk up and down the stairs to attend meetings or be with your colleagues. Even a leisurely movement from one place to another helps to burn more calories. It not only helps to maintain your physical health but also your mental health.
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Author: Ben Max
Ben is a content marketing specialist at ErgoFurniture where he oversees and manages online marketing campaigns. During his spare time, he enjoys motorcycles, playing chess, sport, and literature.
