Noon-day workout ideas!

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Really its any time of the day but in the spirit of our 30 minute/30 day pledge here are some ideas for us!

Office Workout - Exercises you can do at work

Office Exercise

Click pictures for closer look

Stretches for Your Wrists and Arms

Wrist Stretch: Extend arm in front, palm up and grab fingers with other hand. Gently pull hand down to stretch the forearm. Repeat other side.

Wrist & Forearm: Press hands together in front of chest, elbows bent and parallel to the floor. Gently bend wrists to the right and left.

Back Twist: Sit upright in chair and place left arm behind left hip. Twist to the left and hold, repeating on other side.

Leg Extension, Hip Flexion and Inner Thigh

Leg Extension: Sit in chair, abs in. Extend left leg until level with hip. Hold for 2 seconds, repeat other side.

Hip Flexion: Sitting in chair, lift left foot off the floor a few inches, knee bent. Hold 2 seconds and repeat other side.

Inner Thigh: Place full Water bottle between knees and, keeping abs in, squeeze bottle gently. Repeat.

Chair Squat and Tricep dips

Chair Squat: Periodically while sitting, lift butt off the seat and hover over chair for 2-3 seconds. Stand up and repeat.

Dips: Make sure chair is stable and place hands next to hips. Move hips in front of chair and bend elbows, lowering body until elbows are at 90 degrees. Repeat.

Standing Leg Exercises

Standing Hip Flexion: Stand with abs in, spine straight. Lift leg up until level with hip. Hold for 2 seconds, repeat other side.

Leg Lift: In same starting position as above, lift left leg straight out to the side a few inches off the floor. Hold for 2 seconds, repeat on the other side.

Front Raise, Overhead Press and Bicep Curl

Front Raise: Sit in chair, abs in and spine straight. Hold water bottle in right hand and raise arm up to shoulder level. Hold 2 seconds and repeat other side.

Overhead Press: Hold Water bottle in right hand, elbow bent, and extend arm overhead. Repeat other side.

Bicep Curl: Hold water bottle in right hand and, with abs in and spine straight, curl bottle towards shoulder. Repeat other side.

Abs

Abs: Sit on the edge of chair, arms extending in front. Keeping back straight, contract the abs and slowly lower torso towards back of chair. Hold 2-3 seconds and repeat.

Curls: Cross arms over chest and sit up straight. Contract abs and curl shoulder towards hips, pulling abs in. Hold for 2 seconds and repeat.

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Original Article:http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/office-exercise/SM00115

Office exercise: How to burn calories while you work

If you're doing your best to set aside time for exercise either before work or after work, good for you. But finding time to exercise can be a challenge for anyone with a busy schedule. Why not work out while you're at work?

Office exercise 101

Sure, you know you can park at the far end of the parking lot and take the stairs instead of the elevator. These are great ideas, but there's even more you can do to burn calories during your workday — especially if you sit at a desk most of the day. Consider 10 creative ways to make office exercise part of your routine:

1. Make the most of your commute. Walk or bike to work. If you ride the bus, get off a few blocks early and walk the rest of the way.
   
2. Look for opportunities to stand. You'll burn more calories standing than sitting. Try a standing desk, or improvise with a high table or counter. Eat lunch standing up. Trade instant messaging and phone calls for walks to other desks or offices.
   
3. Take fitness breaks. Rather than hanging out in the lounge with coffee or a snack, take a brisk walk or do some gentle stretching. Pull your chin toward your chest until you feel a stretch along the back of your neck, or slowly bring your shoulders up toward your ears.
   
4. Trade your office chair for a fitness ball. A firmly inflated fitness ball can make a good chair. You'll improve your balance and tone your core muscles while sitting at your desk. You can even use the fitness ball for wall squats or other exercises during the day.
   
5. Keep exercise equipment in your work area. Store resistance bands — stretchy cords or tubes that offer weight-like resistance when you pull on them — or small hand weights in a desk drawer or cabinet. Do arm curls between meetings or tasks.
   
6. Get social. Organize a lunchtime walking group. You might be surrounded by people who are ready to lace up their walking shoes — and hold each other accountable for regular exercise. Enjoy the camaraderie, and offer encouragement to one another when the going gets tough.
   
7. Conduct meetings on the go. When it's practical, schedule walking meetings or brainstorming sessions. Do laps inside your building or, if the weather cooperates, take your walking meetings outdoors.
   
8. Pick up the pace. If your job involves walking, do it faster. Take long, easy strides, and remember to breathe freely while you walk.
   
9. If you travel for work, plan ahead. Exercise doesn't need to go by the wayside when you're traveling. If you're stuck in an airport waiting for a plane, grab your bags and take a brisk walk. Choose a hotel that has fitness facilities — such as treadmills, weight machines or a pool — or bring your equipment with you. Jump-ropes and resistance bands are easy to sneak into a suitcase. Of course, you can do jumping jacks, crunches and other simple exercises without any equipment at all.
   
10. Try a treadmill desk. If you're ready to take office exercise to the next level, consider a more focused walk-and-work approach. If you can comfortably position your work surface above a treadmill — with a computer screen on a stand, a keyboard on a table or a specialized treadmill-ready vertical desk — you may be able to walk while you work. In fact, mayo Clinic researchers estimate that overweight office workers who replace sitting computer time with walking computer time by two to three hours a day could lose 44 to 66 pounds (20 to 30 kilograms) in a year. The pace doesn't need to be brisk, nor do you need to break a sweat. The faster you walk, however, the more calories you'll burn.
    

Want more ideas for office exercise? Schedule a walking meeting to brainstorm ideas with your supervisors or co-workers. Remember, any physical activity counts!

Edited October 14, 2008 by LastOptionAtty

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Difficulty: Moderately Easy How to Exercise at Your Office | eHow.com

Edited October 14, 2008 by LastOptionAtty

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fitness articles-http://www.womenfitness.net/ex_at_office.htm

exercise & fitness

Exercise at Your Office

You may not want to turn your office into a mini gym, but there are exercises you can do at or near your desk to boost energy levels, relieve stress and burn calories. These are exercises which you can practice anytime of the day, while you are in the kitchen or in your office or even before a bath.

• Try some squats: Stand in front of your office chair or Infact any sturdy chair with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees as though you're sitting on the chair, keeping your weight on your heels. When your legs are parallel with the seat of the chair, slowly rise to your original standing position.
  

• Opt for plié squats: Take a wide stance with your toes pointing outward. Standing upright, slowly bend your knees in the direction of your toes until you can no longer see your toes. Slowly return to your starting position.
  

• Hold up the wall with wall sits: With your back touching the wall, move your feet away from the wall so that the wall is supporting the weight of your back. Bend your knees so that your legs form a 90-degree angle. Hold as long as you can.
  

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Pose like a warrior - with a lunge: With your arms by your side, take a giant step forward with your right leg so your thigh is parallel with the floor. Pushing off the same leg, return to your starting position. Repeat with the left leg. (Traveling lunges are also an option.)

• During a coffee break, try calf raises: Holding onto your desk, wall, slab or a file cabinet for balance, raise your heels off the floor, then lower.
  

• Peek into your neighbor's cubical while you do toe raises: Sitting in your chair or standing, lift and lower your toes while keeping your heels on the ground, or walk around on the heels of your feet.
  

• Burn those Buns with a gluteal squeeze: While sitting or standing, squeeze the muscles of your rear end. Hold, then relax.
  

• Get on the floor and do some crunches: Lying on your back with your knees bent, reach for your knees, hold for two counts, then return to the floor. Get into the habit of frequently contracting and releasing your abdominal muscles through out the day.
  

• Stay on the floor to do some push-ups: Perform standing upright with your hands a little wider than shoulder-width apart, against a wall or lying facedown on the ground.
  

• Do some dips: With the palms of your hands on your chair and feet on the floor, scoot your rear end off the end of your chair. Bend your elbows, lowering, then straighten your arms to return to the starting position.
  

• Release tension with shoulder raises: Raise your shoulders up to your ears, hold, then relax.
  

As you introduce these into your daily schedule , you will realize that, after all practicing everydayis not all that difficult.

Tips:

• Use discretion in the by knowing what's appropriate for your work environment.
  
• If you're not familiar with strength-training exercises, seek the assistance of a personal trainer or knowledgeable friend to get you started properly.
  
• Always warm up or begin exercising gradually.
  
• Perform enough repetitions of each to feel fatigue in the muscles being worked.
  
• It helps to have comfortable clothes on hand or a workplace that observes a casual dress code.