It has been widely publicised that some of us may have put on a few extra pounds during lockdown. Unless you have been an avid follower of PE With Joe Wicks, you may well be among them.
And as we emerge from lockdown, and many of us resume working at our office, having the time to lose those extra inches may seem a little daunting. How can you stay fit and healthy if you are tied to a desk?
Well, it can be done. At Rombourne, we are all about providing great offices and workstations for our clients to sit and work at, and we like to encourage our teams and our clients to be healthy too. In fact, one of our clients at our centre in Swindon has even fitted a mini golf putting green into their office, for a little light exercise.
So here are our top tips for maintaining health, even if you are working at a desk.
- Be aware of your posture. We may be quite good at remembering to walk upright, or to bend at the knees when we stoop, but after a few moments at a desk it is very easy to start slumping. Help to combat this by sitting up tall in your chair, with a 90-degree angle between your hips and your knees.
- Keep an eye on what you eat. When we are at work it is all too easy to reach for snacks on our desk, or indulge in any cakes or sweet treats colleagues bring in. Having a healthy, filling breakfast before you come to work will help you avoid mid-morning munchies. If you do have a craving for snacks, then bring in your own, and make sure they are healthy, such as vegetable crudités, fruit or nuts.
- Drink! But be careful what you drink. Keep sipping from and refilling your water bottle or glass, and you will not only take in more water (and we are supposed to drink several glasses a day) but you will be helping to suppress the munchies. Keeping up your fluid levels also helps combat fatigue, which in itself can lead to snacking. Make sure you drink water, though, and avoid sugary or low-calorie drinks.
- Keep moving. At Rombourne, we have spacious buildings to walk around in, and all are set in areas where you can walk about outside. The more steps you do in a day, the more calories you will burn off. You could even do a stepathon for charity, as one of our clients in Swindon did recently! You could take regular breaks, and schedule in a longer walk at lunchtime. How about starting a net-walking group, and inviting other businesses from across your Rombourne centre?
- Work out at your desk. This isn’t as daft as it sounds, because while you are sitting and working, you can still be doing some form of exercise. For example, take your business calls standing up rather than sitting, walk across to a colleague’s desk rather than emailing them. You could incorporate a few minutes of arm circles, squats, or seated leg raises – anything that you can do which allows you to move while you are working.
- Think about your commute. Would it be possible to cycle or walk into work, at least a few days a week?
- Where is your nearest gym? At Rombourne, all our centres are within a short distance of a gym, although of course they are currently closed due to Covid 19. However, once they reopen you could take out a membership and visit before or after work, or during your lunch break. That way, by the time you get home your exercise will be done for the day.
You may have ideas of your own on staying fit and healthy at work, and we would love to hear about them. And if you are looking for premier serviced office accommodation in Bristol, Cardiff, Newport and Swindon business, please get in touch.
