Big alert! You should exercise. I should exercise and by exercise I mean get the heart rate up for 20-60 minutes 4-5 times a week or however that formula goes. Corporate worker bees like us would benefit from mindful (or mindless) exercise like yoga and tai chi. If you are doing these things already, great. You are ahead of the game. However, if you are more of an exercise procrastinator like me, read on…

I do not exercise regularly (and I do intend to change that so stay tuned on this blog) but I do use certain tips and tricks to stay in shape. Eating clean and being peaceful is more important than any gym workout in my opinion. Still, there are lifestyle changes you can implement at the office that burn calories without even realizing it.

The Tips & Tricks:

1. Increase your water intake. Most people walk around – or sit at their desks – dehydrated. It’s fact. Drink more water and you will shed pounds. Aim for at least eight 8 ounce glasses a day. If you drink coffee, add a glass of water for each cup of coffee.
2. Get standing. Sitting is the new smoking. No joke. I was the first one in my office to switch to a stand up desk and it changed my life. Many companies will cover the cost or a portion of the cost of a stand up desk. If not, you can purchase a simple one for about $100. Seriously, it’s a game-changer.
3. What elevator? The stairs are where it’s at. This sounds obvious but we are like robots walking to the elevator half asleep in the morning. I’ve seen you and you’ve seen me. Depending on how your building is set up, you may be able to park on a higher floor and take the stairs the rest of the way to your office. Think of it as your own private entrance. I am a bit lonely on the stairs. Join me.
4. Buddy system. Pick a work colleague and motivate each other to walk at lunch and/or on breaks.
5. Walk don’t call. Instead of calling your colleague to ask a question, pay them a visit. I’m sure they’d rather see your smiling face anyway 🙂
6. Lunch boxes. Are you still buying your lunch everyday? The cool kids bring lunch to work. Duh.
7. Snacks, snacks and more snacks. I almost never cheat at work if I have snacks. Packing snacks is essential if you don’t want to be tempted to eat the donuts, cakes, cookies, pizza and other cholesterol-laden time bombs readily available in the office kitchen.
8. Walking meetings. This really is a thing. A ‘walk and talk’ meeting is often more productive than a meeting in a conference room. It is more difficult to check smartphones while walking so that ups the productivity factor right there.
9. Be grateful. It’s easy to fall into the trap of being annoyed at work especially if you work in a high-powered, stressful environment. Take the time to feel grateful for what you have as opposed to what you don’t have. I can be cynical and down right crabby during stressful times like anyone else but the more grateful I am, the better I feel.
10. Be. That’s right. Just be. When I notice I’m over-working on a project, stressed and not taking full breaths, I stop everything and just be for a bit. Still don’t get it? See below for a step-by-step, simple breathing exercise that I learned from Dr. Andrew Weil which can help you to just ‘be.’

4-7-8 YOGA BREATHING EXERCISE

In yoga breathing, you rest your tongue on the back of your front teeth. Keeping your tongue in this position throughout the exercise completes an energy circuit.

First, inhale gently once through your nose and then exhale with force through your mouth. Now you are ready to begin.

• Inhale through the nose 1, 2, 3, 4 seconds
• Hold 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 seconds
• Exhale through the mouth 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 seconds
• Repeat 4 cycles and remember to keep the tongue resting on the back of your front teeth the entire time

“This is single most effective relaxation technique I have found,” says Dr. Andrew Weil, my favorite holistic health guru. Click here to view a video of Dr. Weil demonstrating the technique.

Practice 4-7-8 breathing two times per day and you should experience:

• Less anxiety and panic attacks
• Drop in blood pressure and heart rate. Although these levels go back to normal after the exercise, you will notice more lasting results over time.
• Reduced cravings
• Sense of calm in any stressful situation
• Better, uninterrupted sleep

Speaking of sleep, it is now well past my bedtime. Good night and namaste.