Hitting the gym is a great way to stay trim, but it can get draining after a long work day. Here’s how you can get some exercise within office hours.
For many in Singapore, a productive work day means hours of sitting down. It doesn’t matter if the task at hand is churning out a report, sending e-mails or having lengthy client meetings.
Being sedentary for a prolonged period increases one’s risk of heart disease, according to a recent study published in The Lancet.
After analysing the sitting patterns of over a million people, researchers found that an hour of moderate physical activity nullifies the detrimental effects of eight hours of sitting.
“It’s not as simple as standing at your desk, although that does do wonders for breaking up your sitting time, but it’s… (incorporating) physical activity throughout the day,” said Ms Allana LeBlanc, an exercise specialist with Participaction Canada.
Prolonged sitting increases “your risk for various types of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and even more holistic types of health, such as increased anxiety or depression,” she told CBC.
Here are some ways to weave exercise into a work day:
1) Hop off the MRT a station earlier
Instead of having breakfast at home, try this: alight a station earlier from the MRT, or a few bus stops away from your office. Before heading to work on foot, scout out food options in the vicinity and grab some takeaway. Bonus points if you exit the MRT station before 7.45am – your ride is free!
2) Visit a specialised lunch-hour gym
We love what the folks behind Ritual gym are offering. Get a high intensity workout that combines strength training and cardio, a shower and purchase a meal-replacement shake – all within 30 minutes. It currently has an outlet at North Canal Road, but will be opening another one at the busy Holland Village soon. If that’s too far for you, check out ActiveSG that has gyms islandwide.
3) Take up active tasks at work
Even if your official job scope involves being sedentary, there will be day-to-day tasks that involve moving around. Setting up an advertisement standee, lifting some boxes up the stairs or even getting coffee for your colleagues goes a long way in helping you keep fit. Just remember to do these with a smile!
