Burn Calories & Gain Energy at Work!

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Lauren Updyke. This entry was posted in Being Active. Bookmark the permalink.

It is week two of the Dare to Do Challenge and over 1,200 UW faculty and staff committed to moving more. Whether you challenged yourself with weight loss, steps, or minutes exercised, all require burning calories. Burning calories is a crucial part of the weight loss equation, but it also has many other benefits including improved mood, energy, and confidence.

I dare you to start your day getting out of bed and stretching. Don’t roll out of bed and go straight to the coffee maker or shower. Start by lying in bed on your back, pulling your knees to your chest and holding for 30 seconds. Roll your wrists and ankles 20 times and then bring your arms over your head, clasping your hands above and stretching for another 30 seconds.

Now, get out of bed, find a place on the wall or on the floor, and give me 10-20 push-ups. Next, find a chair against the wall, place your feet shoulder width apart, and perform 10-25 squats. Boom! Your heart is now beating faster, you have increased your blood flow to working muscles, and given yourself more energy. I bet your feel better. Ever hear the saying, “You are only one workout away from a good mood?”

Scheduled exercise is extremely important, but so is finding ways to make your day more physically active. Sneak in these exercises whether you are on your feet all day or stuck behind a desk:

1. Set your watch. Set alerts for every hour on the hour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. When it goes off, perform 10 push-ups and 10 squats.
2. Come up with a trigger word or location. Every time you hear the word or land in that location, roll your shoulders, wrists, and ankles 20 times each way.
3. Take the stairs. Fit in 10 minutes of stairs twice a day either before or after work, on break, or at lunch. Stairs have the intensity you need to get your blood flowing and heart rate up.

Maybe you’re thinking to yourself, “Is it really going to make a difference?” Or, “Hey, I run 5 miles every morning, why do I need to be active at work?” Think again. Read this article from last week on the sitting disease.

The Whole U has many ways you can increase your calorie burn. Check out our Virtual Training page and take your fitness to the next level. The Whole U also has over 38 Discount Fitness partners for UW faculty and staff.

As you track your weight, total steps, and/or total minutes exercised be sure to submit your totals for January 12-18 here. Leaders and Challenge totals will be announced Tuesdays on our private Facebook group and via email every Monday starting January 26.