Excercise at work

[jps]

I've recently moved to 10-hour workdays (which actually becomes 11/11.5 hours between lunch and staying over) and I'm finding it very difficult to get to the gym on these days.

I keep telling myself, even if I don't get to the gym every day or a few times a week, make sure I do something, anything! Just don't sit on your butt, every little bit helps. Walk the dog, go to the park, do some wind sprints, anything.

So I decided to get some things done at work. Things I can easily work in. For instance, I'll park a quarter mile away from the building and take a brisk walk in and out every day. Make sure to use the stairs instead of the elevator. And every hour, I'll quickly run into our storeroom, lock the door behind me so I don't look like a freak, and do a quick set of 35 pushups. Then, immediately after that, I exit the storeroom and head to the staircase and run up and down five flights of stairs. I'll look like an idiot when I'm caught, but oh well. It may not seem like much but I've been doing it every day at work. I get in at least 350 pushups (varied widths) and I end up running up and down 50 flights of stairs. So I take about 3.5 minutes every hour to get the work in. Then if I don't make it to the gym that night, I don't feel quite so guilty.

[princesslinda]

Man you are motivated! Good for you. That's the hardest part for me, making time for exercise. I'm a desk-prisoner for about 12 hrs a day myself between my 2 jobs.

Like you, I park further away and take the stairs, and I come in 30 minutes early to walk before work with a co-worker (it's us and the cardiac rehab gang each morning:D ...but I could do more as well....and you've made me think more about where I could put more effort into exercise while here.

Keep up the good work!

[jer.lawrence]

Shoot, I hope to be able to do that much one day. I used to take 5 flights of stairs every day, that just sounds exhausting now.

*sigh* Obesity FTW. :P

[princesslinda]

Shoot, I hope to be able to do that much one day. I used to take 5 flights of stairs every day, that just sounds exhausting now.

*sigh* Obesity FTW. :P

I can relate....some days I take the stairs, some days the stairs take me!:D We're on the 6th floor. However, most doctors take the stairs, so should I succomb to the effort, I'll be in good hands. It's not pretty though...fat girl huffing up the stairs! I just put pride aside and do my best. ;)

[fgummett]

Great stuff... I take the earlier ferry and do the long walk along the harbour boardwalk in the early mornings on my way to work Halifax Harbour Boardwalk WebCam... (http://www.halifaxwebcam.ca/live/index.php?CURRENT_CAM=boardwalk&SET_CAM=boardwalk)
It's been kinda hot and humid lately hence the morning walk (also avoids the tourists) but when I can, I walk at lunchtime as well and make a point to get up from my desk at least once an hour.

I've also been known to take "smoke" breaks where I go out for as long as the smokers but I do my puffing by walking briskly around the block (trying to avoid the second hand smoke of course)... I'd challenge any manager to complain about me taking time for a walk instead of smoking :)

[jer.lawrence]

Haha, Props to you for doing so, though.

My office doesn't even have stairs, we're in a 1-story building. :/ I could park down the street somewhere, I suppose. Even our parking lot is small.

[fgummett]

I just put pride aside and do my best. ;)Hey Linda, you hold your head up with the pride that you are taking care of yourself..! :) Anyone who even looks sideways at you deserves a long hard glare... or a cheeky grin :D

[jps]

I still like taking one day off where I do nothing, but ultimately, I'll do something. Actually, I'm finding myself going out of my way to do things. I've just had to be innovative because life, as it is for everyone, is hectic. There's not a lot of "free" time for anybody.

We took my girlfriend's daughter to her favorite restaurant on the Strip (ugh, the tourists!) for her birthday. It was a beautiful night out, so I parked about a mile away so we could take a nice walk to and from dinner. Her daughter and I also sprinted when there was a clear straight path. She's starting to learn that the more she eats veggies, the closer she comes to beating me :)

It's funny, along with what I eat, it's starting to creep to the forefront of my mind. It's hard to get started, really hard, but once you get going, it becomes not quite addictive, but something you almost look forward to. Doesn't quite seem like hard work.

I pray I can keep the attitude for a long time to come. Lord knows I'll have my bad days, I just gotta fight through them and make sure they are few and far between. Just like with the foods I eat.

[painthorse]

Wow, what drive! I wonder if you'll feel like a freak when you get fired. You'll have plenty of time for the gym then. No wonder this country is in the shape it's in. Certainly no guilt about stealing from the company. Just a thought.......................

[jps]

Actually, considering that I'm salaried and work on average 48 hours per week and on call two weekend days per month - and that my manager has actually encouraged it - I don't feel too badly about it.

My work is always done and done properly. The quality isn't compromised. If I weren't efficient, perhaps things would suffer. But I don't have to worry about that.

[slwood321]

You're doing awesome!! If you want some variety, try jumping jacks or some pilates planks to work those muscles in a different way.

I have been doing a lot of time ont he elliptical lately and I know I am already getting bored.

Keep up the good work!!!!

[lark 27]

Actually, considering that I'm salaried and work on average 48 hours per week and on call two weekend days per month - and that my manager has actually encouraged it - I don't feel too badly about it.

My work is always done and done properly. The quality isn't compromised. If I weren't efficient, perhaps things would suffer. But I don't have to worry about that.

Nice reply JPS. I found myself getting rather angry on your behalf just for painthorse's post, but I respect your calm answer to what I view as a rather rude comment. With that said, I think painthorse's point has some validity, (none of us should shirk job duties in order to go run a 10K) just not very nicely said.

In addition to that, I respect your efforts to fit in some physical activity at work. Here's what I do, although it's not at the level you do.

I'm at a desk all day so I sit on an exercise ball all day instead of a chair, and don't do full exercise ball workouts, but fit in a few exercises throughout the day. As a file is opening I'll do some crunches. While on phone calls, I sometimes kneel on the ball and try to balance. While typing I sometimes do some squat-type exercises.

I try to fit in a walk during an afternoon break. I'll sometimes walk around the building perimiter prior to the start of the workday when time permits.

I'd love to hear if any others have any ideas that work for them.

[jps]

Nice reply JPS. I found myself getting rather angry on your behalf just for painthorse's post, but I respect your calm answer to what I view as a rather rude comment. With that said, I think painthorse's point has some validity, (none of us should shirk job duties in order to go run a 10K) just not very nicely said.

It's not a problem, I have a thick skin. Plus, I don't take my two-15 minute breaks and only take a half hour of my 45 minute lunch, so I think it breaks pretty even anyway.

I think it's cool you are finding ways to do things. Every time we don't do something, or eat something that we aren't supposed to, it adds up. I think the opposite is true too. Any time we can find to fit these little things in, it benefits us alot in the long run.

[GretchO]

I'm w/ you JPS...i either walk to or from work every day (2 1/2 miles). I work in an 11 story building and am on the 9th floor. Days I drive in I walk up to the 9th floor. A lot of the people I support are on the 4th floor so I manage to get in at least 3 trips between the 4th and 9th floors a day. And before I get yelled at by painthorse, I never take my two 15 minute breaks and generally only take 30 minutes for lunch (instead of an hour) so I can take advantage of the stairs and some extra walking. It does all add up, and I can now (after 4 weeks of working here) make it up to the 9th floor w/out feeling like I'm gonna have a stroke.

[jps]

Congrats Gretchen. Hopefully other people can add something here that's easy to fit in. I'm always looking for new ways to incorporate exercise into my daily routine.

[Wyling Sun]

Too bad they don't have a sauna and a jacuzzi at work!

don't worry about looking weird while exercising. I do my tai chi and stretching while standing in lines, at bus stops, in the doctor's waiting room etc. let them laugh at me... they don't.

[lark 27]

Too bad they don't have a sauna and a jacuzzi at work!

don't worry about looking weird while exercising. I do my tai chi and stretching while standing in lines, at bus stops, in the doctor's waiting room etc. let them laugh at me... they don't.

Great idea for passing the time when waiting. While stuck at the ATL airport a while back I found myself passing the time unhealthily (eating and a couple beers) and decided that really wasn't helping anything, so i had a great yoga session instead.

[painthorse]

Sorry folks - not yelling at anyone at all. I'm just plain-spoken. I applaud jps for his drive but question the location. I wonder what the reaction would be if it spread company-wide. I think jps is easily the exception in the workforce.

[genie86333]

Wow, some great ideas here. No stairs at my work & I don't dare park far away from the office because I work out in the country & it's pitch black out here when I leave work (no outdoor lights) so I have to park right next to the office.

And at my other job...well, it's *very* slow sometimes (it's so slow sometimes that the manager leaves her laptop there for us to watch movies/play games etc when we're slow.) A quick workout would be a great way to pass the time.