If you're desk-bound, try these in-office exercises

Get Fit at Your Desk

By Garry Messick
eDiets
Contributor

You! You pathetic slob! Yes, you! I'm tired of all your whining about how you'd love to exercise but you just don't have the time. Well now you have no more excuses, you useless, sickening schlub! Now put down that donut and get moving, lard-o!

Sorry to be so in your face. I just watched "Full Metal Jacket" the other night, and I guess that drill sergeant had an effect on me.

I'm about to give you suggestions for a number of exercises that you can do at work right at your desk. Do a few of these on a regular basis, and you'll not only feel the burn, you'll eventually see some benefit as well. No, you won't get Mary-Kate Olsen skinny or Lance Armstrong fit with these exercises alone, but doctors say every little bit helps.

Anyway, let's check these out...

Strength-Building
1. For your chest, triceps and shoulders. Grip the armrests on your chair and lift yourself up off the seat. Slowly lower yourself, but not all the way. Keep your butt just an inch or so off the seat for a count of five or ten. Repeat for ten to fifteen repetitions.

2. Legs. To strengthen and tone your thighs and butt, good old squats work just as well in the office as they do in the gym. Simply stand with your feet about shoulder-length apart and slowly bend your knees, lowering your upper body. Keep your back straight, and don't bend your knees much beyond a 90-degree angle.

If you need something to help keep your balance, grip the back of a chair or the edge of your desk. Do 10 of these, and you'll feel it in the morning.

3. Biceps. Sitting in your chair, grab the edge of your desk, thumbs up. Push away from the desk and extend your body until you're facing down, looking at the floor (Hmmmm. I wonder if it would weird to eat that tic-tac that's lying in the corner?) Now pull yourself toward the desk. Do this for about 12 reps or until your coworkers laugh at you.

Aerobics
Yeah, I wouldn't have thought aerobic exercise was possible at work either, but Kelli Calabrese, an exercise physiologist and a spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise says it can in fact be done. She says even quick bursts of aerobic exercise for as little as 60 seconds can be beneficial to the heart. And who the heck am I to argue? Most of these are impossible to do unobtrusively (unless you can find an empty office or conference room), so they're basically for people who really don't give a hoot if their coworkers think they're insane.

1. Here's a simple one: jumping jacks. Do a minute's worth when you have the chance. Make sure you're in an area with plenty of space so you don't knock down the water cooler.

2. Any stairs around? Use them! Race up and down several times a day. If you're hardcore, you can take them two at a time.

3. If you're desk-bound, try pumping your fists straight up into the air, alternating between left and right. Go for about a half minute.

4. Running in place. Be sure to bring those knees up high, you pansy! (Oops. I'm reverting to the drill sergeant again.) A minute or two should get your heart racing.

Stretching
Whether surfing the Internet, reading your email, playing video poker or actually getting some work done, sitting in front of the computer all day leads to tension. Here are a few tips for relaxing those stiff muscles.

1. Neck. Sit upright. Breathe in, then tilt your right ear toward your right shoulder as you exhale. Hold the position for a few breaths, then bring your head upright and repeat on the left side.

2. Shoulders. Raise your right shoulder toward your ear. As you do so, inhale. Then lower the shoulder while rolling it toward your back, and exhale. Now do the left side. Alternate two more times, then do both shoulders at once for five reps.

3. Wrists. Hold both hands out in front of yourself, palms up. Turn your hands back and hold for a count of ten, then turn them forward and hold for another count of 10. Do that three times, then gently rotate your hands at the wrist several times.