Dangers of Being a Desk Jockey
By: Eartha Haines
Many of us sit in front of a computer all day and unfortunately, these types of jobs also cause many of us to pack on extra pounds. Our bodies were not meant to sit for 8 or more hours a day but that is what many of us do on a daily basis. Sometimes we are so busy that we forget to eat 3 or more meals a day or even worse, we skip meals – mainly breakfast (the worse one to skip in my opinion.)
Working from home is even more likely to pack on the pounds because it is easy to skip exercising and even easier to snack all day because you are only a few feet from the kitchen. Whether you work a 9 to 5 or you work from home, if you sit at a desk all day, you may be looking for ways to incorporate more exercise into your life. Thirty minutes or more of exercise a day is quite easy to achieve with a little discipline.
First off, there are 2 major downsides to being a desk jockey:
1. Weight gain
2. Muscle loss
Exercise in Spurts at Work
In order to prevent both you will need to start incorporating physical activity into your day. Thirty minutes of exercise doesn’t have to be done all at once. If you are extremely busy, you can do little things that add up such as taking the stairs or spending 10 minutes or so during lunch to take a brisk walk. If you can spare the time, you can join a gym close to work and exercise during lunch.
Hire a Personal Trainer
Sometimes the main reason people don’t exercise is a lack of motivation. When you have worked a full day, the last thing you are thinking about is exercising. Hiring a personal trainer can sort of force you to get off your butt. You will want to keep your appointment with a trainer and it can be a lot of fun learning new exercises and getting health advice. A trainer can often work around your schedule so early before work or after should be fine.
Join a Gym or Make a Home Gym
Joining a gym was one of the best things I have done for myself. I work at a desk all day and the gym allows me to take a much needed break. I can run, lift weights, take a class, etc. all in one place. Best of all since it’s open 24 hours, I can go anytime. A home gym can do wonders as well. If you have extra space to set up some weights and a cardio machine, you can save time and money.
Create Better Eating Habits
I ate horribly at my last job. The commute and stress caused me to skip breakfast most mornings, then I’d eat a huge lunch, then fast food for dinner because I would be too tired to cook. Not to mention all of the snacking and coffee runs during breaks just to pass the time. You have to learn to take back control of your eating habits.
- Don’t skip breakfast
- Replace soda and fancy coffees (lattes, cappucinos, etc.) with water
- Pack your lunch the night before
- Bring healthy snacks
- Cook easy, healthy dinners
- Make better choices when dining out
I know all of the above is easier said than done. Improving one’s health requires baby steps. What it takes is prioritizing and discipline. You do so much for your job or business but none if it will matter if you let your health slide. You can have a good balance with a little extra effort.
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