Incidental Exercise – Burning Calories at Work is Easy

Most people assume that if they cannot fit structured exercise such the gym, a run or a yoga class into their routine, then they have to miss out. And I think most of us would agree that work is typically the prohibitive factor. So to help you get a little bit of exercise, even when you are at work, I thought I would give you some practical ideas for incorporating incidental exercise into your working day.

Incidental exercise describes the total amount of movement you do in your day that burns energy. Essentially, each day we are all using up calories through short bursts of activity that are part of our regular routine. Incidental exercise can be a great way to increase the amount of exercise that you do on a regular basis, especially if you are struggling to fit in your recommended thirty minutes per day.

1. Go for a walk

Finding reasons to go for a walk is a great way to increase your incidental exercise. There are lots of ways to do this such as:

•         Change your daily commute to incorporate a walk at the start or the end

•         Take a walk at lunchtime to get your lunch rather than opting for the closest option

•         Use a printer or photocopier that is further from your desk

•         Walk to meetings rather than taking a taxi

All these things essentially increase the number of steps that you take during your normal routine to help increase your incidental exercise. Why don't you take a moment to think about some simple things you can do that would get you walking during the day?

2. Take the stairs

The fire stairs don’t just need to be for an emergency, they can be a way to increase your exercise each day. You could for example try taking them to meetings instead of the lift or start using the toilet upstairs. It may sound silly but I guarantee you that after climbing a few flights of stairs, you will start to feel like you have done a bit of a workout.

3. Make face to face contact

Phones and emails have completely changed the way that we contact people around our office. Have you ever found yourself calling someone who sits within a few metres of you? Do you call out across the office because you could not be bothered walking ten metres?

Next time you have the urge to do this, get up and go visit the person you need to speak to face to face. Not only is this a great way to increase your incidental exercise but you may find that people are more responsive to your requests because you made the effort to visit them.

These are just a few ideas for you to think about. There are plenty of opportunities for incidental exercise in everyone’s day; all you need to do is look for them! This is a really simple way to stay healthy that is both time and cost effective. Incidental exercise may not give you the same kick as your regular workout but it certainly won't hurt either. Good luck with your new incidental working day!