Options to maximize movement outside of office. Am I doing enough?

[carrico]

@chelsea_harper I love cycling to get places. It incorporates fitness into your routine. /r/bikecommuting is a good place to start if you need help or advice.

 

[differentviews]

@chelsea_harper I think your outside activities sound good! Here are some in-office ideas I've been trying to implement personally, mostly to combat the rounded/hunched part of sitting all day, since HIIT won't necessary target this:

• Get a standing desk if possible. Try to stand up for a good portion of your work day. This keeps you from being rounded/hunched over so much.
• Every hour or couple hours, if you can remember, take a few seconds to stretch your shoulders and move them in circles -- get them out of that hunched over position.
• Keep a light exercise band in your office and when you take time to stretch your shoulders, do some band pull-aparts to help build your muscles to keep your shoulders back instead of rounding forward.

Edit: One more - make sure to stretch out your hip flexors at some point -- either while you're in your office working on your shoulders or as part of your outside-office HIIT routine. Hip flexors get very tight from sitting all the time.

 

[chelsea_harper]

@differentviews These are great tips, thanks!

 

[wagingwar]

@differentviews These are great! I think I'll be setting myself reminders in my phone for throughout the day. When I was doing my MA, I made sure I drank a ton of water so I'd have to get up to use the bathroom. Since the nice one was up two flights of stairs, it helped me get a bit more movement in. I also walked to and from campus every day.

 

[vannitheng]

@chelsea_harper You're doing enough. Some chill time with the bf is important too.

 

[dewayneb]

@chelsea_harper I wouldn't stress over it to much. everything in moderation. If you'd like to bike or walk to walk, I think its great. I also agree with @kettlebell_queen in that there are things you can do. Get up every hour or so and walk around. Do leg lifts at our chair (you make look funny though lol). Instead of elevators take stairs. If you drive to work, park far.

 

[bkpoehls]

@chelsea_harper Even in sitting, you can do stuff that increases muscular activity and keeps blood and lymph moving. Change your posture frequently, try sitting with one foot on your chair, sit on the edge of your seat, etc. Of course, stand and move when you can but it makes the best of sitting when you simply must sit.

 

[catqueen]

@chelsea_harper I think you are are already doing so much!!! I know this isn't very helpful, but being a phd student and exercising daily already sounds killer.

 

[antinomian]

@catqueen I find if I don't exercise I don't deal with work stress well at all... exercising 6 days a week is necessary for me to feel human - I think each to her own on this one! x

 

[chelsea_harper]

@antinomian This is basically it for me! I need it to clear my head and destress