Everything you need to know about being more active in your home office

Last week we spoke about setting some really awesome goals and you can find that column on the Citizen website.

This week we are going to discuss how to be more active from your home office desk.

Weight loss searches on Google have spiked threefold according to Google trends since mid-December and the top provinces in order were the North West, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.

I am not going to discuss the traditional “you must go to gym” topic on weight loss but rather how to be more active in your home office.

Productivity for at-home work has increased dramatically and to some degree less stress has been placed on employees because they don’t have to put up with two hours of traffic to and from work and crazy drivers.

For those who really care about the value they bring to their organisations, productivity is through the roof and more time is spent in front of the computer than ever before.

As much as your boss might love this, it comes at a cost to your posture, your weight and your health.

There is one thing from an evolutionary standpoint you must understand; we were not built to sit, we were built to hunt and gather, and this means “move” –  we were built to move.

Computers only became available to the public for the first time in 1970 so sitting for long periods of time is relatively new in the evolution of man.

Only in recent times have we started sitting and working in front of a computer, which is not the best posture to be in for long periods of the day. Picture: iStock

Computers are not going anywhere so we need to adapt to the new norm and figure out how to move better, while adding great value to your company.

Sweating is not an option because the last thing you want is to be dripping every hour while working on your computer.

What needs to be done is to work out a mandatory daily routine that will increase your movement, strength, flexibility and keep your weight down.

This strategy can be used in conjunction with a weekly gym routine where you can sweat.

My advice is to at least do some form of activity that increases your heart rate for an extended period over the weekend to remain focused on your goals.

Here are some great strategies to keep you moving: 

Start the day earlier

Poor posture and bad alignment affect your lower back, blood flow, knees and contribute to a good deal of your aches and pains. Start your day as if you were getting ready for traffic. Use this time for a mobility, stretching and core routine. Aim for about 15 to 20 minutes where you stretch all the big and essential muscles groups, the quads, hamstring, chest, hip flexors, calves, shoulders and back. Add core exercises to your routine which will help strengthen your internal connecting muscles and improve posture.

Break for five minutes every hour

Plan to start work 30 minutes earlier and end 30 minutes later. Set a reminder on your screen that every 5-7 minutes you will perform a mini routine that won’t make you sweat.

1 Stand up and stretch your entire body.

2 Perform 7-10 squats, you can do a full squat or a half squat

3 Take a brisk walk around the house, complex or on the spot. You are aiming to increase your step count by at least 5 000 steps.

4 Invest in a proband which is a resistant rubber band which will help with toning your muscles. You can change up your routine here every hour. Do some chest first, then some back, then work on triceps (the back of those arms) and you can even use them for your squats. Resistance is your friend.

5 Invest in a swiss ball which you can use to replace your chair and basically working on your core and stability for eight hours a day.

6 Get some weights, this can be a kettle bell, dumbbells or a sandbag. Guys might need a little more weight, and this presents the perfect opportunity to do two body parts of 10-15 reps. We are not looking for massive weight here but rather comfortable weights that you can complete the reps with.

7 Drink lots of water; it helps to flush out toxins, keeps the body’s core temperature regulated and helps with internal functioning. Make sure there is a water bottle on your desk at all times.

8 Try not to do the same body groups hour after hour but rather alternate, which will give it time to rest. Aim for no more than three sets of no more than 7-15 reps per body part. If the next day you are a little sore, spend more time on stretching, abs, core, and steps. It is advisable to get a step counter. This will help you keep a check in reaching your 10 000 steps per day. If you missed your target, go for a walk before or after dinner to reach your mark.

This is a winning strategy for your health because it takes moving your body to the next level. Stick with the process at least a week before you judge. You are in control of your movement. Change, adapt and have fun, but you are in full control. The only rule you can’t break is to move 5-7 minutes every hour and there are no excuses.  

Sean van Staden

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