Sedentary Lifestyle? Try Out These Simple Desk Exercises

Physical inactivity is the leading cause of disease and disability. The World Health Organization (WHO) has been warning that a sedentary lifestyle could attribute to millions of deaths every year.

A sedentary lifestyle not only increases all-cause mortality, colon cancer, hypertension, osteoporosis, depression, anxiety, and lipid disorders, but also doubles the risk of heart diseases, diabetes, and obesity. About 60-85% of people worldwide lead sedentary lifestyles and it is high time that we stop leading one.

You might be working more than 40 hours per week and doing other household chores like cooking, helping your children study, etc, and might not be easy to wake up early and hit the gym. If you feel like you aren’t getting the exercise you need in order to stay healthy and in shape, please be assured that you are not alone. Fitness.gov has reported that only about one in three adults get the recommended amount of exercise every week.

And if you spend most of your time on a desk job, why don’t you try these simple desk exercises?

1. Seated Leg Raise- It is a simple exercise involving your leg and abdomen which you can perform even when you’re in a meeting or at a desk without being noticed. Sit in an upright position, straighten your left leg so that it is parallel to the floor and hold that for about 10 seconds. Repeat this with your other leg and do 15-20 repeats. You can alternatively add weights to your legs by looping your purse or bag on your legs while doing leg raises.

2. The Wall Sit- It can be a great workout to build strength and endurance. Stand with your back against the wall and slowly bend your knees and slide your back down until your thighs go parallel to the floor. Sit and hold that position for as long as you can. For extra burn, you could also try crossing your right ankle over the left knee.

3. ‘Silent’ Seat Squeezes- You can perform such desk exercises without revealing it to anyone. You can tone your buttocks by simply squeezing them and holding that position for about 10 seconds and releasing it. Perform as many repeats as possible and you will find amazing and ‘uplifting’ results.

4. Chair Dips- To do this, you need to scoot up to the very front edge of your office chair while placing your legs in front of you. Place your hands on either side of your hips. Raise your body up off the chair and go down so that your rear touches the floor. Do three cycles of 15-20 repeats every day.