How to Burn Calories While Sitting at Your Desk?!

For most office workers, Putting in a full day at the office can make it hard to find the time to exercise. But most of us have a bit of a lag between tasks as we sit in front of our computers, and we can take advantage of a few minutes here and a few minutes there to get some physical activity in. You won’t get an extensive workout this way, but you can get enough exercise that missing a day or two of a more strenuous activity won’t make a difference. You can also avoid some of the ills that come from sitting at a desk for too long: sore wrists, stiffness, even repetitive motion injuries.

No one wants to do a mile run or anything else that will get their work clothes sweaty, but these simple exercises can keep your clothes neat and still get your heart rate up.Being in a desk job does not have to be an ordeal for your health. If you are one of those people who have to be at a desk all day long, there are some simple steps that you can follow in order to improve your posture and keep your health in check

• Steps

1. Observe the proper sitting posture in a good chair that is designed for desk work. Your back should be straight, your shoulders back, and the top of your monitor should be level with your eyes. If you have to look down or up, then you need to adjust the height of your screen. Also, make sure that your wrists do not lie on the keyboard or on the mouse pad (unless you have a pad with a wrist rest). This will help prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Keep your legs bent at the knees so that the knees are only slightly higher than your hips. Feet should be flat on the floor or on a step stool of some sort. 
2. Do simple stretching exercises. Stretch your arms, legs, neck and torso while sitting. This will help prevent you from feeling stiff.
   
   • Neck:To stretch your neck, slowly flex your head forward/backward, side to side and look right and left. This can be done almost anytime to lessen tension and strain. Never roll your head around your neck. This could cause damage to the joints of the neck.
   • Shoulders:Roll your shoulders forward around 10 times, then backward. This helps release the tension off your shoulders.
   • Arms and Shoulders: A good stretch for your arms and shoulders is to brace your hands on the edge your desk, each about a shoulder width away from your body. Twist your hands in so they point toward your body and lean forward, hunching your shoulders. Take this a step further and push your shoulders and elbows closer to the desk.
   • Wrists:Roll your wrists regularly, around every hour or so. Roll the wrists 10 times clockwise, then 10 times counterclockwise. This will help prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome if you spend a lot of time typing.
   • Ankles: Roll your ankles regularly. As with your wrists, roll the ankles in a clockwise motion 3 times, then counterclockwise. This helps improve blood circulation, and prevents that tingling feeling you can get when blood circulation is cut off, also known as "Pins and Needles".
   • Chest:Notice if you tend to hunch in front of the keyboard. To counter that, perform the following exercise: open your arms wide as if you are going to hug someone, rotate your wrists externally (thumbs going up and back) and pull your shoulders back. This stretch is moving your body the opposite way to being hunched and you should feel a good stretch across your upper chest
   • Abdomen:Contract your abdominal and gluteal muscles, hold them there for a few seconds, then release. Repeat this for every few minutes all day long while you are working at your desk. You can also perform Kegels (pelvic floor exercises) while sitting
   • Calves: Stretch your calves.While sitting, lift up your legs on the balls of your feet and set them down. Repeat until your legs are comfortably tired. Repeat after about 10 minutes later, and continue doing this routine for about an hour or so. This will exercise your calves, and will help prevent blood clots from developing in your legs. Blood clots are very common among middle-aged computer users
3. Stand up every half hour to walk around a bit. This will ensure continuous blood circulation in your arms and legs, and will keep them from getting too strained. Take walks to the water station to refill your glass. If you can afford to take longer breaks, take a short walk outside your building, and use the stairs instead of the elevator to go down. Aside from giving your legs and heart a good workout, you would be able to take in fresh air as well.
4. Take a few deep breaths. To work your abdominal muscles, hold your stomach for a few seconds when breathing in, then release when breathing out. If possible, get some fresh air in your lungs by taking a walk outside, as mentioned in a previous step.
5. Have a bottle of water by your side and make a habit of drinking some every half hour. If you do this consistently you will begin to feel more alert. Take trips to your water refilling station to refill your jug or glass, so that you can also walk around and exercise your legs at the same time
6. Take advantage of the downtime created by rebooting or large file downloads. Get up and take short walks around your floor. If you can afford to do it and do not have many co-workers around who would be bothered, try something more ambitious such as doing a few push-ups, sit-ups, and/or jumping jacks.
7. Do exercises with the help of a few tools.  

• Acquire a hand gripper. They are cheap, small and light. When you have to read something either on the screen or on paper, you probably won't be needing to use your hands very often, so use this opportunity squeeze your gripper. It is an excellent forearm workout.
• Acquire an elastic band (also cheap, small and light) and use it to do the actions mentioned above (i.e., when stretching your arms, do it by pulling apart the elastic band). This will stretch and work the muscles slightly.
• Invest in a large size stability ball or stability ball-style desk chair, and sit on it with back straight and abs firm. You burn calories stabilizing your core and body on the ball. While an actual stability ball is more effective, the chair is a more viable option to use in an office environment. While sittingor talking on the phone, you can bounce or do basic toning exercises. Use the actual ball form in moderation when typing, as this is probably not the most supportive seating to prevent carpal tunnel and tendinitis

29 Exercises You Can Do At (Or Near) Your Desk

Feet and Legs

1. Toe raises. Lift your toes while keeping your heels firmly on the ground. While you can do this exercise standing, it works very well while seated.
2. Football foot drill. At practice, football players practice rapidly tapping their feet in place, simulating a run. Do the same thing while seated, for 30 seconds at a go.
3. Take the stairs. If you need a harder workout, try taking them two at a time, you’ll get a chance to stretch your legs more than you would otherwise.
4. Calf raises. Stand in front of a desk or other piece of furniture you can hold on to for balance. Raise your heels of the floor and slowly lower them.
5. Lunge. While walking, take the widest step you can and lunge forward.
6. Hip flexions. While sitting in your chair, lift your right foot a few inches off of the floor. Keep your knee bent at a 90 degree angle and hold the position as long as you are comfortable.
7. Walk the hallway. Walk down the hallway as fast as you can without actually running.
8. Plié squats. Point your toes outwards and take a wide stance. Slowly bend your knees in the direction of your toes. Once you can no longer see your toes, slowly stand up. While plié squats are more graceful than regular squats, give them a pass if your work attire includes a skirt.
9. Leg extensions. While sitting in your chair, extend your right leg until it is level with your hip. Hold as long as you are comfortable and then relax it. Alternate sides.

Hands and Arms

10. Shadow box. Stand up and take a couple of jabs at the air.
11. Arm pump. Pump both of your arms over your head for 30 seconds.
12. Shoulder rises. Raise your shoulder to your ear, hold and then relax. Repeat, alternating shoulders.
13. Wrist stretch. Stretch your arm out in front of you with the palm up. With your other hand, grab your fingers and lightly pull them down to stretch your forearm.
14. Triceps dips. Put your arms behind your back, resting on your chair and slowly raise and lower your self.
15. Elevated pushups. Lean on a sturdy piece of furniture and slowly push your body off of it in a sort of standing push up.
16. Hand stretches. Tense and relax the muscles in your hands. Make fists, spread your fingers and bend your fingers.
17. Flapping wings. Stretch both of your arms up and back, as far as you can. Bring them forward until they meet and stretch your arms out in front of you. Repeat.
18. Water bottle weights. Use a full water bottle as weight to increase the difficulty of your work out. You can do front raises, overhead presses and bicep curls with a water bottle.

Torso

19. Back twist. Sit up straight in your chair and place your right arm behind your right hip. Twist to the right and hold. Alternate sides.
20. Wall sits. Rest your back against a wall and move your feet away from the wall. The wall should be supporting the weight of your back and your knees should be bent. Hold the position as long as possible.
21. Gluteal Squeeze. Tense up the muscles of your rear end and hold for a count of 10.
22. Curls. Cross your arms over your chest and sit up straight. Tense your abdominal muscles and curl your shoulders towards your hips. Hold for a few seconds.
23. Abdominal stretch. Sit on the edge of your chair and stretch your arms out in front of you. While keeping your back straight, contract your abdominal muscles. Relax and repeat.
24. Neck rotations. Drop your chin and roll your neck. Raise your chin up and bend your neck to each side.

Full Body

25. Low-impact jumping jacks. Raise your right arm and tap your left toe to the side at the same time. Keep your right foot on the floor. Alternate sides for a full minute.
26. Pretend jump rope. Hop either on both feet at once or alternating feet.
27. Pretend jump rope, version 2. Move your arms as if you are turning a jump rope while tapping one foot in front of you. Alternate feet.
28. Chair dips. Place the palms of your hands on your chair and your feet on the floor. Move your rear end off of the edge of your seat. Bend your elbows and lower your body. Straighten your arms to return to the starting position.
29. Chair squats. Lift your rear end off of your seat and hold for a few seconds.

How to Burn Calories and Build Muscle While Sitting at Your Desk

Fidgeting while sitting
the best way to just burn calories if you don't really care what muscles you are using is to fidget. Shake a foot back and forth, bounce your legs up and down, and wiggle in your seat all the time or whatever else you can think of that will keep you moving. If you are fidgeting constantly while you work, you will burn at least an extra 500 calories every day!
Forearm Exercise while sitting
this exercise is great for times when you are on the phone and have your hands available. The basic principle is to work the muscles in your forearm by clenching and unclenching your hand. Many "stress balls" sold for just a few dollars in stores are useful for this exercise, and repetitive squeezing of a stress ball will build muscle in your forearm. If you don't have a stress ball, just make and loosen a fist repetitively. Don't forget to work both of your forearms, not just one!

Bicep Exercise While sitting
Another good exercise to do to build muscles and burn calories while on the telephone is bicep curls. With your elbow resting on the desk and your palm facing up, bring your hand up toward your shoulder. This motion is a bit too easy without resistance, so either bring in a free weight or two to keep at your desk, or if you would like to be more discreet, hold a good-sized paperweight in your hand. Again, make sure that you switch arms occasionally so as to not have unbalanced biceps.

Quadriceps Exercise While Sitting

This exercise is difficult to do if your desk is against a wall (or against other people's desks), but if you have space in front of your feet, you can do quadricep extensions. Bending at the knee, bring your feet up so your legs are fully extended, and then lower them to the ground again in a controlled manner. Like the previous exercise, this one is significantly better if you have some resistance, so either wear ankle weights or lift something with your feet.
Calf Exercise While Sitting
This exercise is easy and mindless, and in no time you will find that you have really well-defined calves. The key to this one is repetition, because it's tough to get enough resistance to do much at once. The benefit is that it keeps you in constant motion, which burns lots of calories! To do calf raises at your desk, simply push into the floor with your toes until your heels are as far off the ground as they will go, and then lower them to the floor again. If you would like to work one calf at a time with more resistance, rest your other leg on your knee so you have to lift that too.
Shin Exercise While Sitting
Your shin muscles are typically not used much, unless you are a runner, but there are some great ways to build shin strength while sitting at your desk. The easiest is toe taps, where you quickly and repetitively lift your toes off the ground and let them fall again, all while keeping your heels firmly planted. Another exercise for your shins that takes significantly more focus, so probably isn't the best thing to do at work, is to lift your whole foot off the ground and spell out the alphabet with your toe.

If you are doing one or more of these exercises at a time while you are at work, you will find that you burn a lot of calories and develop muscle just by keeping moving while at work. Of course, it is also important to have some cardiovascular exercise as part of your routine, so don't cut the gym out of your schedule entirely!

•  Tips:

1. Set your chair back rest at an angle larger than 90°.
2. Don't neglect the health of your eyes! It is detrimental to your eyesight to focus at one thing for long periods of time (i.e., your monitor) so take breaks to look out the window and focus at something at a further distance away to maintain good ocular health. Also consider purchasing an LCD screen which is easier on the eyes. If you are at your computer for long periods of time, optometrists recommend following the "20-20-20" rule, for every 20 minutes spent focusing on your computer screen, spend 20 seconds focusing on something else 20 feet away.
3. Try not to squint when reading something on the screen, as squinting can be bad for your eyes. Most computers have an option to increase font size. If you press Ctrl and +, the font size will increase, so you don't have to strain your eyes as much. Pressing Ctrl and - will make the font smaller, and pressing Ctrl and 0 will put the font back to normal. Even if you have 20/20 vision, it doesn't hurt to try to keep it.
4. Don't sit still. As long you keep moving, you will be helping to keep yourself in better shape.
5. If you are a runner or jogger, you can sit on the floor and stretch as you use the computer. It will save you time too if you have to do both anyway.
6. Make music while working to provoke body movement and relieve stress. A smaller instrument will be more convenient.

• Warnings:

1.      When muscles remain stationary, circulation decreases, muscles tire, and tasks become more uncomfortable to perform

2.      Incorrect computer posture habits combined with long-term stationary sitting may cause medical problems known as cumulative trauma disorder (CTD) or repetitive stress injury (RSI)

Have a nice day!