Life as I Know It; Family; Lifestyle; and Healthy Living!
"Workouts for Desk Jockeys"
Published on January 24, 2007 By foreverserenity In Health & Medicine
Binge computing.....that's when you sit in front of your computer for hours on end, without moving, without physical activities. Who amongst us can say they are not guilty of this? I can honestly say that I have done it, time and again. Just sit there at my desk, at work or home, my eyes glued to the computer screen. That is not good at all. At home my hubby would get on my case, or the kids, cause they do it too, telling us how bad just sitting in one position for more than three hours is bad for us.


Now it's a New Year and as one of my resolutions, to move more, i.e., being as physically active as possible, and to keep moving, I now take short breaks to stand and stretch, walk around our office, do more standing when working on some papers, like filing etc., and I make sure my children do the same as well, and they are now limited to just two hours in front of the computer. A rule they try to break sometimes, because they are so involved in whatever they are doing online!


Jacqueline Stenson wrote on article, "Workouts for Desk Jockeys" on MSN Health and Fitness at msn.com. In the article she answers questions from a few people who are in the same boat as many of us who can't seem to pull ourselves away from our desk, or the couch for that matter!

One of the things that happens to us is that "office job flabby bod" and the 'pancake spread butt'...yeah, if you don’t' watch it, those glutes of yours will be unrecognizable because there won't be a nice firm bump there anymore!


According to Ms. Stenson though, sitting doesn't necessarily make our butt goes flat, the sedentary lifestyle we lead, and the lack of physical activities, does that. To combat this effect if it's happening to you, you will need to work out with equipment like the elliptical machine or a leg press machine.


Plus you can still do the old trick of contracting the muscles in your butt by squeezing to flex and also by contracting your stomach muscles to make them firmer, but that alone won't get rid of the fat you have in these areas. So yes, you have to; HAVE TO get physical, so as to burn calories, so that you can get fit again.


If you can't move around too much when you're at the office, just doing simple stretches will help to make you feel better and relieve some of the stress you feel in your back, neck and legs. I'm linking the article below so that you can read the full details and also try the exercises she detailed in it.


So get to moving people and let's make 2007 the year we get rid of the fat! WOOT!

Link


Comments
on Jan 26, 2007
I'm clenching my butt cheeks as I write this. I'm already feeling more svelte. lol.
on Jan 27, 2007
I'm clenching my butt cheeks as I write this. I'm already feeling more svelte. lol.


That's the idea!!

I've began sitting on my exercise ball instead of a chair when I'm on the computer. It really is tricky staying upright and balancing. That's where the mini workouts come in!
on Jan 30, 2007
Hey Donna,

Congrats on the feature and I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner.

I'm incapable of sitting still for more than a 1/2 hour at a stretch. I remember my parents saying, when I was a lad, they thought I had worms or something, because I'd wriggle around so much. I read somewhere recently this is actually a good thing as these types of people don't have any problems being overweight or obese.

Also, I learnt a series of exercises many years ago while in the defence services. Isometrics is a system developed by the Swiss to keep their military fit during the long winter months. It involves clenching and relaxing the different muscle groups in the body (yes, including the 'butt muscles'). I've been doing it for so long now, it is almost a reflex. And it works.

Good article, Donna. Keep 'em coming.
on Feb 03, 2007
It involves clenching and relaxing the different muscle groups in the body (yes, including the 'butt muscles'). I've been doing it for so long now, it is almost a reflex. And it works.[/quote]

Whew, that's some clenching going on!  



Congrats on the feature and I'm sorry I didn't see this sooner.


I'm sorry I didn't reply sooner! Thx for reading!


[quote]Good article, Donna. Keep 'em coming.


Again,thx Mark! OOOoO my reply is messed up again!