Photo by Vlada Karpovich
Research conducted by online fitness resource Total Shape found the best ways to keep active while working from home. During the COVID-19 pandemic 70 percent of the workforce was working from home. Since then, 61.9 percent of companies have planned to incorporate remote work, be it fully remote or hybrid.
However, a Health Impact Assessment found that home working may be associated with more sedentary lifestyles and in turn increased risk of obesity.
“Roughly 2 in 3 people in the US are overweight and with many aspects of life becoming more sedentary, it’s important that people try to find new ways to keep fit and healthy,” a Total Shape executive commented. “Life has become busy and more expensive, meaning that it’s harder to find the time and money to attend gyms or activities that help us to remain fit.”
According to Total Shape, most of our calories throughout the day are burned through non-exercise activity thermogenesis, meaning daily basic activities that produce heat in our bodies, such as walking, When working from home, sometimes our activities can be even more limited.
A guide based on Total Shape’s research provides a plethora of choices for people on various budgets and with specific preferences. It includes the following five ways to stay fit even when you are working from home.
Standing desk. Standing desks have gained popularity over the last few years and have been proven to provide many positive health benefits. Standing burns more calories than sitting, even if you simply stand still. Research has also shown that 66 percent of workers felt more productive and 87 percent felt more energized.
Standing activates the muscles in your legs and core while stimulating circulation, which can help you to burn extra calories and build your strength. Standing desks come in a range of styles and cater for all different budgets.
Cost: $150-$600
Calories per hour: 60-90
Desk treadmill. Although it is a more expensive option, this is one of the most effective ways to stay fit while working at home, Total Shape says. It essentially takes the standing desk a step further by adding the walking element.
Studies have shown that walking between 1 and 2.5 m.p.h. can lead to an extra 170-240 calories burned per hour. Not only have people encountered the physical benefits of getting more exercise, but walking also helps to oxygenate the brain by stimulating blood circulation. So, we think better and more efficiently when we walk.
With most people having busy schedules outside of work, it can make getting the recommended amount of physical exercise difficult, which makes this a great way to stay fit while working from home.
Cost: $200-$800
Calories per hour: 170-240
Under-desk bikes. A similar concept to the desk treadmill, an under the desk bike features a small set of pedals that can slide under your desk so that you can pedal while sitting. These small machines can be altered to have more resistance, which makes it harder or easier to pedal.
This type of aerobic exercise can help strengthen your legs and joints. Studies estimated that peddling while seated can burn up to 10 calories per minute depending on the intensity, which means you could burn up to 600 calories an hour. However, the average gentle peddling will most likely burn 100-300 an hour.
Cost: $50-$200
Calories per hour: 100-600 (depending on intensity)
Resistance bands. Resistance bands are an affordable option to help train your body and get fitter. There are many variations and other exercises that can be done with resistance bands. They can help you build muscle and burn calories while seated at your desk. Exercises could include bicep curls, overhead tricep extensions and shoulder raises.
A study published in 2022 showed that resistance band training lowers body fat in people who are overweight better than other forms of training, including free weights and bodyweight exercises.
Cost: $15-$40
Calories per hour: 180-252
7-Minute workout. Searching “seven-minute workout” on the app store will reveal a fantastic app that will guide you through various workouts for just seven minutes at a time. The best thing about the seven-minute workout app is that its programs are designed especially for people who are doing the workouts at home, and who have no special equipment.
The 7-minute nature of these workouts allows people with busy schedules to fit in exercise and can help break up your working day, which can increase productivity. Building muscle will also help you to burn more NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) calories as well.
Cost: Free
Calories per 7 minutes: 20-50
Diet. While exercise and living an active lifestyle are important in staying fit and healthy, diet is a key contributor to overall health and fitness. People with few distractions at home may find that they are more aware of hunger than they would be at the workplace, which can lead to more snacking and possibly an unhealthier diet.
By focusing on eating healthy foods and healthy snacks, people who work from home can ensure that they are staying fit and keeping their bodies healthy. Studies show that both the overall composition of the human diet and specific dietary components have an impact on brain function. This means that diet isn’t only going to keep you fit, but it’s also going to improve cognitive function, and thus the quality of work produced.
