Ways to stay healthy when you spend your life at the office
SPENDING your life at the office may score you brownie points from your boss, but if your lifestyle doesn’t adjust to ensure you stay healthy, you may just be next in line for an early grave.
This is so as working all day in an office will require you to be stationed at your computer for extended hours with little physical activity resulting in fewer calories being burnt, which over time will lead to you packing on pounds, making you pre-disposed to diabetes and hypertension — life’s silent killers.
Dr Alfred Dawes, general, laparoscopic and bariatric surgeon, told
All Woman that if a person’s schedule is one in which most of the day is spent at a desk, they will need to alter a few things to ensure they stay in tip-top shape. These include:
1. The frequency with which you stretch
Dr Dawes said stretching relieves stress and improves circulation so it’s important to stretch on a daily basis, especially when in one position for too long.
2. Deep breathing exercises
Dr Dawes said these are a good form of stress relief and are easy to do any time.
3. Taking the stairs
Instead of waiting patiently for the elevator to come three floors down, Dr Dawes suggests taking the stairs as this will give you some amount of exercise and burn off the extra calories.
4. Walk to lunch
If where you eat lunch is within close proximity to your workplace, instead of taking the five-minute drive to go there, Dr Dawes suggests walking to lunch and doing it briskly. He also pointed out that if you have a habit of placing orders and waiting on delivery, now is the time to stop and walk to the canteen or wherever you get lunch.
5. Exercise before work
If your life is spent at the office, there will be no other time to break a sweat. Dr Dawes said get up a bit earlier and walk or exercise at home or in a gym. He said that way you would have burnt some calories before going to work.
6. Eat lighter and healthier
If your days are spent in an office, you do not need a heavy lunch to supply you with energy to get the job done. Protein, fruits, vegetables, coconut water and tap water are healthy options instead of food laden with oil and sweet treats. Additionally, Dr Dawes said to avoid snacking as this and unhealthy eating will reverse your exercise efforts.
