Take a Break to Torch the Calories

By , SparkPeople Blogger
Having a job that requires sitting most or all of the day doesn't mean that you can't fit in extra calorie burning activities throughout the day. For me, I work from home and am on the computer a lot of the day, however, I take breaks as often as I can to get up and walk around to stretch my legs, which also gives my eyes a rest from the computer screen. Some of my favorite exercise breaks include walking around the house at a fast pace, walking up and down the stairs, dancing around the living room  (my dogs really love this!), or taking the dogs for a quick walk around the neighborhood.  Before working from home though, I worked in a conventional office and would do everything I could to get up and move. I would walk to my co-worker's office/cubicle rather than email them,  take the stairs as much as possible and go for walks during my lunch hour. Even though I'm not in a conventional office now, I still make sure to work in ways to burn extra calories (in addition to my formal exercise) throughout the day.
 
Burning extra calories throughout your day doesn’t have to be boring or necessarily planned out as formal exercise -- it can be fun! Finding activities and exercises that you enjoy will help you continue to move and burn calories. For me, breaking up my work day with the activities mentioned above really does the trick for not only burning extra calories and resting my eyes from the computer screen, but it also breaks up my work day and helps me with mental clarity. After I get a short burst of exercise like that, I find that I am more productive because I am refreshed and sometimes come back to my computer with some new ideas for what I am working on at that time.
 
So I'd like to challenge everyone out there to add in at least one extra calorie burning activity each day for the next week, especially those of you that have a sedentary type job. It doesn't have to be a long session, but pick something that you enjoy and do it for at least 10 minutes. Remember,  every little bit really does add up! If you tend to forget about getting up and moving around, you may want to consider creating an appointment on your computer, calendar or phone that reminds you at a certain time to get up and move.
 

Are you up for the challenge? If so, how will you add extra calorie burning activities to your day?