By Beth Davis, CPT, Quad City Fitness Blogger and Personal Trainer

If your job doesn’t require sitting all day, yay! You have a leg up on fitness and longevity over those who are glued to their desk chairs and computers.

Why? All it takes is a few short years of inactivity to add as much as 50 pounds to your frame.

It’s pretty simple to understand that eating more calories than you exercise off in a day will lead to weight gain. The opposite holds true as well – if you can burn off more than you consume, you will lose weight.

So the more you move during the day, the more calories you burn and the less likely you will gain the extra pounds.

Keep in mind I am not talking about doing a marathon or lifting weights for 2 hours to help burn calories. All it takes is a few minutes a couple times a day to relieve job-related stress, increase your energy level, and ultimately, make you healthier!

So let’s vanquish “sitting disease” by moving at and near our desks without disturbing the entire office!

On Your Feet:

1. Walk! Choose the stairs! Take the longest route to the restroom, another office, even the parking lot.
2. Stand up! Our bodies are made to move. If you need to set a timer to remind yourself to get up every half hour, do it!
3. Pace during phone conversations.
4. Walk to your colleague’s office for a conversation, if possible, rather than send an email.

At Your Desk:

1. Leg Squats – Stand in front of your chair and repeat sitting down and standing up 10 times, 3 times a day.

2. Shoulder Shrugs – Just pull your shoulders as high as you can and roll them forward 10 times and backward, 10 times throughout the day.

3. Knee Lifts – Sit up tall and scoot to the edge of your chair (make sure there are no wheels!) place your hands on the sides of the chair and pull your knees up to your chest. Try crunching your knees to your chest 10 times without putting your feet on the floor.

4. Bench Dips – Place your hands on the edge of a steady chair or desk and bend your arms to slowly lower yourself about six inches lower than the object. Raise yourself by straightening your arms. Repeat this 3 times a day for 10 repetitions.

5. Assisted Push-up – In the office, lean up against your desk or wall and push yourself away while in a leaning position. Repeat this three times a day for 10 repetitions.

6. Walking – Walk around the office on a break, walk around the block or parking lot and always bring a friend to help keep each other moving!

You might gain a few stares as you begin your new habit, but those folks will be “deskercising” with you as they see the results. You’ll feel better during your day, burn some calories and ultimately add to your longevity!

Meet Beth Davis, Let’s Move Quad Cities Fitness Blogger. Beth is a well-known, former radio news personality, has a Masters Degree in Counseling Education, is now living her dream of making lives better for Quad Citians as a certified personal trainer. You can read Beth’s bio and other blog posts by clicking here.