I am, however, warming myself up to the idea of a return to the gym by incorporating a short series of simple exercises into my workday. This is my second week of these near daily exercises- I'm taking weekends off. I'm hoping that they might kick start a little muscle toning, and that they might be helping me burn a few extra calories throughout the day. Incorporating just a little additional movement is subtly motivating me to want to add in even more daily activity. My Weight Watchers ActiveLink monitor picks up on these bursts of movement, so I am able to measure the impact its having. I've gone from registering 0 activity points per day at the beginning of the month to an average of 1 daily point (my daily goal, based on my last 12-week ActiveLink challenge, is 2 activity points).
Are you lucky enough to have your very own office at work? If so, I'm jealous! I work for a university, and my desk is in the very open reception area of a busy building on the main green. Faculty and students are constantly walking past the glass wall in front of my desk, and are frequently stopping in to check their mail or ask me questions. This means that mini workouts at my desk are not an option unless I want people watching me; I don't. So, what's a gal without an office to do if she wants to sneak in some exercises during the day?
Well, it turns out that there is one room at work in which I find myself completely alone a few times a day: the washroom (aka restroom). It follows, then, that the washroom is the perfect place for me to squeeze in a little bit of exercise. Studies show that too much time spent sitting during the day is harmful to our health, and health professionals suggest that we should be trying to get up and move a little once an hour. I figure that prolonging my quick washroom break by a minute or two to get in some exercise before sitting down again has to be a good idea.
The Routine
Abdominal Isolation
While I wash my hands, I do an abdominal isolation. Isolating your abdominal muscles requires some concentration and hard work. You will want to be sure to keep your back straight and shoulders down, while you draw your belly-button in and down towards your to spine. Really focus. The idea for this exercise was inspired by Jennifer Jolan's "The 5-Second Flat Belly Secret - Lose 2-3 Inches from Your Belly in Less Than 1 Month." (I'll likely review this book when I've completed the 1 month plan.)Flu Season Bonus: The CDC recommends that we wash our hands for at least 20 seconds; I find that doing this exercise ensures that I'm meeting their suggested standard since I try to hold the isolation for 20-25 seconds. I then relax my abdominal muscles while drying my hands.
Jumping Jacks
After washing my hands, it's time for jumping jacks. I'm up to 15 each time I'm in the washroom.Pushups
We have a nice sturdy sink in the washroom, so I've been using that surface to do a set of 15 pushups to conclude my washroom circuit.That's it! It might not seem like much, but I feel good about the fact that it is more than I have been doing for the last few months. I drink a lot of coffee and water throughout the day, so on some days I'm getting in 4 or 5 "circuits". I haven't yet cheated once- if I'm in the washroom at work, I'm not leaving until I've done my mini workout.
I've actually added a kitchen exercise this week, but only when I'm alone in the room. While I'm washing my breakfast and/or lunch dishes, I sneak in a few squats. There's a window next to the kitchen sink, so I'm pretty sure that the people in the building across the street can see me squatting. I'm trying to ignore this possibility for now.
