BY KAVITA SHYAM
Desk jobs, or work from home, especially those requiring long hours of sitting, have impacted the fitness of many people. Often the long working hours are used as an excuse for not staying healthy. This is why diseases such as obesity, gut issues, diabetes, depression, and back pain are common among people at a very young age. Well, now the 8-hour job from home will never be an excuse for not staying healthy.
Agreed, work from home in a sitting job can often be challenging for health without leaving the house. However, you can schedule mini-breaks for exercises, set a timer, and indulge in healthy eating.
Just as you schedule your work diary to organize your workload or meetings, you could find time to exercise. Treat exercise with the same priority as a virtual meeting or call with a client. Blocking out time away from your desk would result in you more likely doing it at different suitable times in the day.
- Try standing or taking a short walk every hour or stretch to relax, indulge in a herbal drink, or indulge in a healthy, wholesome snack.
- Include a treadmill desk if it’s ergonomic
- Yoga / Pilates – just find some videos online and get started with the morning and evening easy ones, even if it’s a twenty minutes session.
- Try diaphragm breathing exercises to relax the mind and body.
- Walk the talk on the phone
- Include easy acupressure, reflexology, or palm and feet massage techniques to calm the system.
- Indulge in squats, on the spot jogging, plank, jumping jacks, burpees, push-ups, planks, skipping, dumbbell lifts, all in the privacy of your home.
- Take a break to walk your dog, get the grocery, or walk your kids to the garden or school.
- Drink slot of water, juices, herbal concoctions, fruit infused water through the day.
- Prepare or make preps the previous night for your quick breakfast, lunch, or dinner instead of ordering in or eating unhealthy frozen food. Just chop up your vegetables, pre-cut your salad bowl or fruit bowl or snack bowl, or even an overnight oats-chia pudding options are plentiful. For snacking, stick to only two breaks to include nuts, seeds, fruits, boiled eggs, grilled fish, or sprouts to keep the energy levels up.
Also, follow these 5 simple steps by Fitness expert and Athlete Sandeep Shekhawat to easily reach your fitness goals this winter.
- Stay Hydrated
Drinking water at regular intervals is critical as not only will it keep you fresh throughout the day, but it will also keep your stomach full. So, the cravings you have for munching will reduce significantly, and you will see a decrease in junk food intake. Make sure you drink at least 8-10 glasses of water during your office hours.
- Only Eat Home Cooked Meals
An unhealthy eating routine is one of the primary reasons for obesity and gastric problems. So, make sure that you take with your home-cooked meals. The ingredients used in these are healthy, but everything, including the usage of oil, fats, organic ingredients, and spices, is controlled. Besides, all the food is super hygienic.
- Stretching at Regular Intervals
Stretching is vital for the human body, and when you have a desk job, the need further increases. Stretching at regular intervals will help you avoid back pain and neck pain and reduce the stiffness in your body. For best results, do simple stretching after every 2 hours.
- Sit in Right Posture
Make sure that you are always sitting in the right posture. To prevent back pain and posture-related problems, you should still sit at a 90-degree angle with your back completely straight. Also, make sure that the level of your screen, as well as the eyes, is the same. This will help in avoiding unnecessary strain on the neck and your back.
- Regulate your Meals
Untimely snacking is also a significant reason that has effects on health. So, at your workplace, make sure you avoid eating junk food. Choose healthy alternatives such as fruits, salads, nuts, etc., for snaking purposes. At lunchtime as well, make sure you avoid outside food and eat only home-cooked meals.
Adapting to these habits will surely help you avoid many health-related issues in the long term and short term. Just make sure that you start with the right mindset and stick to your routine. Be fit, be confident.
