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By Taralyn Jensen-Jones
President, TJ Life Fitness
A.C.E. Certified, FitBALL Master Trainer
In my line of work, I teach people how to be physically active in a safe, effective and fun way. Whether it’s for weight loss, stress management or maintaining a healthy lifestyle, regular activity not only helps people physically, but mentally as well. However, time is an element that most people discover often gets in the way of a truly successful fitness program.
While conducting research for FitBALL 101, a DVD for under-active adults, there was one common challenge to overcome – time! The adults found it difficult to maintain a fitness routine and handle the many other tasks of an individual living in the 21st century.
So, I thought, why not take advantage of the area where the majority of adults spend most of their time – at work?
Designing a quality fitness program for busy professionals doesn't have to be difficult. Even if they don’t have a lot of time for physical activity, there are many ways that people can fit in fitness at work. Encourage them to take a break from their computers, and create a mini gym right in the comfort of their cubicle or office to enjoy the benefits of a healthy mind and body!
Taking the stairs to another floor, parking farther away from the front door or engaging in “walk-and-talk” meetings with their colleagues are simple ways for them to sneak in steps at work. Or encourage them to consider the idea that their workspace could become an “office or cubicle gym?”
Before they get started, there are a few things they may want to consider. First, they should write down their personal fitness goals. Do they want to improve overall health, increase muscle strength or endurance, or improve flexibility? Second, they should think about how much money they want to spend. They can create a cubicle gym for under $100. Then, they should consider the size of your workspace. This information will help them design the most appropriate set-up for their needs and interests.
Now it’s time to plan! Here are a few ideas for designing a “cubicle gym:” Create a Get Fit kit – the size of a gym bag – for under $100! A few of the most popular low cost fitness tools include resistance bands, exercise tubes, hand or ankle weights, jump ropes, yoga mats, and/or pedometers. Throw in walking shoes, a water bottle, and some music, and they’re ready for a quick cardio break!
Get on the ball! Replace the office chair with an exercise ball. (Of course, they should check with their boss first). This is a simple way to strengthen core and posture muscles while working. Then, when it’s time for a 10-minute strength break, they can use the ball as a weight bench to work even more muscles at one time.
Move more! Encourage them to get a headset for their phone so they can move around while they talk.
Plan ahead! They should schedule their movement breaks by setting a friendly alarm that goes off at certain times of the day, maybe 10:15 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. Or look for websites and software programs that will remind them to take breaks and show them how to perform different exercises safely and correctly. This comes in handy when it’s time for that afternoon stretch break.
In addition, encourage them to be creative! Any movement is better than none. The important thing is to fit in 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week, which can be achieved with just three 10-minute movement breaks at work. In terms of balance and variety, try to do at least one break for cardio, strength, and stretching to cover all the components of fitness.
Remember, it doesn’t take a lot of time to start reaping the benefits of regular physical activity such as increased energy, improved sleep, weight maintenance, stress management, and decreased risk of disease. Studies show that people who exercise are also more creative and productive at work. If they’re ready to make a positive change in their healthy lifestyle without a huge investment of time, money or space, then they should consider creating their own “cubicle gym” and start fitting in fitness at work!
About Taralyn Jensen-Jones
Taralyn is a FitBall Master Trainer and creator of FitBALL Kids and FitBALL 101: Exercises for Plus Size and Under Active Adults. She is president of her own company, TJ Life Fitness and also works part time at the Rocky Mountain Center for Health Promotion and Education in Lakewood, Colorado.
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Welcome to the April issue of The Health Bounce!
