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I’m in the mood for exercise….and no, I’m not kidding.
I need to find a way to fit some exercise into my day and I’m looking to you for help. Everyone who gives me a suggestion will be entered into a drawing to win a book in their favorite genre. Right now, I have way too many new books and need to unload, er give some away.
Here’s the scenario. I work full time and barely make it up in time to get to work (so no suggestions about getting up early, please). I walk with my husband and dogs every evening for two miles. Since I write at night, I can’t handle much more exercise at night…although if you have a great suggestion, I’ll take it!
I’m looking for are exercises I can do at work while I’m on the phone, in the car etc.
Can you help me? Please?? I really am in the mood to exercise.
BTW, I’ll be at a conference in Seattle all weekend, so if I don’t respond to your comments and pick a winner until Monday…that’s why.
Filed in: Jaunty Post
Oct 10th
2009
8:37 am
Emily McKay Said:
You know, lately, I’ve been in the mood for exercise too! It doesn’t sound like you watch much tv, but lately, when I watch tv I’ve been doing stuff with the medicine ball. Instead of sitting there with a lap top on my lap, I’ve been doing squats with the medicine ball or picking it up raising it above my head, putting it back down, then raising my hands above my head, then pick it up again. As you can tell by my descriptions, this is very regimented stuff.
But seriously, I figure it’s better than nothing.
I’ll be interested in hearing what other’s say because I think we could all add a little exercise to our lives.
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Oct 10th
2009
8:43 am
Maureen Said:
I have found that the only way to get regular exercise is to set aside time for that in my daily schedule. For me, it is in the morning but if it can’t be morning then pick another time or join a gym near where you work and go on your lunch hour. I’m not an expert but I don’t think walking the dogs with your husband will get you moving fast enough for the aerobic activity you need.
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Oct 10th
2009
8:53 am
Rainy Said:
I found a site that has some seated exercises:
http://entrepreneurs.about.com/od/lifebalance/a/deskexercise.htm
It’s all got to help. If you are walking the dogs every day that’s a great exercise in itself. You could try extending the walk 15 minutes, maybe more on the weekends.
The key is constancy. This year I’ve been just awful and it’s because I did not put exercise as a priority. If you backburner it, well, you’ll end up with a backburner butt like me in a few months.
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Oct 10th
2009
9:05 am
eap Said:
Experts say little things add up–take the stairs rather than elevator-park farther from the grocery store. Borrow exercises DVD’s from the library…
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Oct 10th
2009
9:06 am
Kirsten Said:
Maybe you can get one of those exercise gym balls. A friend of mine swears by using one in her office to sit and exercise on. They’re really easy to use. While working the instability of the ball makes your body adjust itself to the constant changing position and you unconsciously move a lot more on the ball than you would on a chair. It also is a bit of a trick to roll towards the phone that stands on the edge or to get out from under the desk.
She does small exercises on it while waiting for her computer to respond or while talking on the phone. It seams very effective and it’s a great stress reliever.
At lunch time you can do a few stretches and push ups, some balancing while weightlifting (heavy books or something). My friend lost quite a few pounds. If that’s all thanks to the gym ball I don’t know. But it can’t hurt to try. Unless of course your work place is open plan and your co workers have a good view/laugh at your expense. That might limit your exercise possibilities or hurt your confidence. But I think you’re a brave woman and will ignore them for the benefit of the exercise.
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Oct 10th
2009
11:18 am
catslady Said:
Maybe while you’re walking (kudos) you could carry some weights and get some arm exercises in.
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Oct 10th
2009
11:22 am
Margo Maguire Said:
If only you could do it at lunch. My nursing jobs precluded any real exercise besides walking outside. And even then, I didn’t want to work up a real sweat, because I had 5 or 6 hours to go. But some places have workout equipment and showers for their employees. You can bring your lunch and eat it at your desk after you’re done.
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Oct 10th
2009
11:24 am
Quilt Lady Said:
I have been trying to get back to exercising myself! I use to walk two miles a day and got out of the habit, now trying to get back to it. Our weather has been bad this year and I know that this is a excuse not to do it. I try to use an exercise meching while I am watching TV any kind of movement is better then none. I think I would like to have one of those exercise gym balls that Kirstin was talking about. I think its a wonderful idea!
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Oct 10th
2009
11:44 am
RobynDeHart Said:
I was going to make the same suggestion Kristan made – simply by sitting on the exercise balls, it works your core on balance and strength. I do my exercise in the pool because it feels more like playing than working, but that takes specific time. You’re already walking, so I would think you would want to work on toning – maybe during breaks you can do some weight lifting – find something in your area that’s a little heavy and do some reps with your arms.
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Oct 10th
2009
12:28 pm
Minna Said:
Hm. When you go for walks, you might want to try this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordic_walking
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Oct 10th
2009
1:21 pm
Emmanuelle Said:
Take the Stairs !! Anytime, forget all about the elevator. It’s exelent for your heart. If it becomes too easy walk the stairs on your toes !
I do it and it’s very efficient. Of course I hope you’re not working on the 15th floor
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Oct 10th
2009
1:36 pm
Shana Said:
Well, you can walk and talk on the phone. You can’t be in the car while walking, though.
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Oct 11th
2009
1:39 am
Jane Said:
I sometimes do leg lifts when I’m sitting at the desk. I also take the stairs when I return from lunch.
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Oct 11th
2009
6:54 am
Laura Said:
The conference rooms where I worked used to work had video equipment (both DVD and VHS) and we would do a video called “Walk Away the Pounds”. You get more workout than you would just walking but you don’t break up a sweat. I would wear what I was wearing at work and never felt the need to change out and as I said, I didn’t sweat so it was okay after.
Another thing we used to do was walk the hallways of the building – taking the steps to each floor. We worked on the 2nd floor so we’d go to the stairway and take the steps to the top floor (4th floor) and then down to the first. We’d walk the entire floor of the 1st floor and then back to the stairway. Up to the 4th floor, down to the first, back up to the second and walk the floor. Stairway, up to 4th, down to first, back to 3rd, walk the floor, etc. Once we’d done all the floors, we’d do the stairs for a while. Now, I DID sweat when we did that, but it was my exercise for the day. Oh, and that part of it, we called our “smoke break” and did it later in the afternoon because we did sweat but we did figure we were entitled to take a little time off since smokers did.
Good luck!
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Oct 11th
2009
9:03 am
KimmyL Said:
I do not have time to go to the gym. So I tear exercises from magazines like Shape and I do them every night. That way I can do different exercises and mix it up a little bit.
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Oct 14th
2009
11:05 am
KathrynSmith Said:
Oh God, I’m so out of shape. I have to get back on the elliptical or something. I feel like a beached whale.
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