How to Burn Calories While You’re at Work

We all know how important it is to burn calories, but are you making time in your day to do so? Surprisingly, there are many small steps you can take (both figuratively and literally) to …

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We all know how important it is to burn calories, but are you making time in your day to do so? Surprisingly, there are many small steps you can take (both figuratively and literally) to help burn calories at work. Even better, using office wellness products like a desk treadmill or bike desk can really help you stay active during your day. Here, we’re taking a closer look at simple ways to burn calories while you’re working. 

What are Calories? 

First things first, what exactly is a calorie? A calorie, essentially, is a unit of energy that enables us to stay active, grow, and survive. We consume calories from the food we eat and the liquids we drink. While calories may get a bad rep these days as fad diets keep telling us how to restrict calories or cut them out entirely, calories are essential for survival and a healthy lifestyle. Calories themselves aren’t a negative thing, but rather, calories consumed without proper exercise can lead to health issues. Whether consumed in the form of fats, proteins, carbohydrates, or sugars, calories keep us alive. 

It’s important to remember that calories are your friend—not your enemy. But you should be smart about how many calories you consume and what kind of calories you’re taking in as part of your daily diet. Empty calories from surgery foods or highly processed foods will not offer your body the nutrients it needs to sustain good health. Rather, you should focus on receiving the majority of your daily calories from a healthy and balanced diet by focusing on foods like lean proteins, vegetables and fruit, and whole grains. 

Why is it Important to Burn Calories During Your Day?

Let’s face it, we’re all busy. Juggling your job, family, friends, and personal goals can seem almost overwhelming at times. There’s never enough hours in the day it seems, which makes it easy for many of us to miss out on exercise. However, this is one part of your daily routine you should not be overlooking. As more and more of live inactive, sedentary lifestyles due to the nature of our jobs and recreational activities (like surfing the web or watching TV), finding time for regular exercise is more important than ever.

When you consume more calories than you burn, over time, your body will begin to gain additional weight. A few extra pounds won’t harm you, but if this adds up over the years, significant weight gain can lead to obesity and a litany of negative health effects for both your body and mind.

Over time, obesity can lead to a higher risk for developing many different kinds of health problems, including: 

·  High blood pressure (hypertension).

·  Type-2 diabetes.

·  Sleep apnea.

·  Osteoarthritis.

·  High cholesterol levels.

·  Higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

·  Stroke.

·  Overall body pain.

·  Poor mobility.

·  Gallbladder disease.

·  Mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, or other mental health disorders.

·  Many types of cancer.

·  Lower life expectancy. 

How to Burn Calories While You’re at Work 

As you can see, it’s critically vital to ensure you burn calories throughout your day to ward off the risk of obesity and the many negative health affects associated with this condition. But that’s where things get tricky. When you’re working a standard office job and finding yourself at a desk for 8 hours in your day, how can you possibly find time to move around and exercise?

Luckily, researchers have identified many different ways you can remain active (even in your traditional office job) so you can burn calories even while you’re staying productive throughout your work day. This doesn’t mean you have to necessarily hit the gym on your lunch break (although that’s not a bad strategy). Even taking small steps throughout your day will build up and make a noticeable difference on your overall health. This can also save you time from hitting the gym after work.

Interested in burning calories while at work? Take a look at a few effective strategies: 

1. Take short breaks to move around: any type of movement helps to burn calories during your day. If possible, try to take 5 or 10 minutes out of each hour or two to simply get some movement. This can be a quick walk around your office building or even taking an extra trip to the water cooler. You can also try standing up at your desk if you have an adjustable desk as standing burns more calories than simply sitting. You can also try to take just a few minutes to knock out some push ups or practice a brief yoga routine. More and more offices are dedicated space for their employees to do so. 

2. Use a fitness ball: using a fitness ball like you see at the gym just to replace your desk chair is a really simple (and quite effective)way to burn calories while working at your office. Sitting on an exercise ball not only burns calories, but it also helps to improve your core muscles, spinal support, and overall balance. Over time, you may not even notice you’re using one and could start a new trend in your office. 

3. Use a bike desk or treadmill desk: riding a bicycle is a great form of exercise that many people love and it can also help you burn calories. Compared to running or jogging, cycling also puts far less stress on your joints and muscles, making it safer especially for older individuals. By equipping your workspace with a bike desk, you can steadily burn calories while you work and stay productive. These bike desks are specifically designed to allow you to comfortable pedal the stationary bike while working from the desk that is attached. Talk to your boss about getting a bike desk.

If a bike isn’t your style, you may opt in for a treadmill desk. Similar to the bike desk design, this piece of equipment effortlessly combines a traditional treadmill with a desk so that you can get your steps in while walking or even lightly jogging. 

Conclusion – How to Burn Calories While You’re at Work 

To avoid the risks presented by a sedentary lifestyle lacking normal physical activity, you should try to find ways to burn calories gradually throughout your day. This means you can even try to burn calories while staying productive at work. Take short breaks during your day or incorporate an office wellness product, like a desk bike or treadmill desk, to steadily burn off calories. Studies even suggest that staying active while working can boost productivity, help you concentrate, and improve creativity. Talk about a win-win.