LIVING WELL
Workday Workout Whether you’re working in the office or at home, here are a few workouts that can become part of your workday.
SEDENTARY BEHAVIOR – defined as activity where your predominant posture is sitting or lying, and your energy expenditure is low – is the most prevalent risk factor connected with cardiovascular disease and chronic heart disease. Almost 80% of people in United States do not meet the minimum weekly recommendations for 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity. People who don’t get enough regular physical activity have a higher risk of obesity, high blood pressure, cancers, depression, diabetes and overall mortality. Sedentary behavior has become a normal part of everyday life. Desk jobs and schools promote sedentary behavior on a daily basis. For most Americans, the more we sit at a desk in front of a computer screen, the less physical activity we get. Being glued to a desk for 40 hours a week can actually be detrimental to our health. Fortunately, adding physical activity into your everyday life is easy. Get creative with your resources to turn your office, cubicle or living room into your own personal gym. Taking short breaks to stand, walking down the hall, or fitting in a quick exercise circuit are excellent options for meeting your physical activity goals, increasing your caloric expenditure, strengthening your muscles, and reducing your risk of chronic disease. Here are a few exercises you can easily fit into your workday. Perform each exercise for 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions. Please check with a health care provider before starting any type of exercise program. By Hunter Blume, Boone Hospital Center Exercise Physiologist
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BOONE HOSPITAL CENTER
Spring 2020
Plank Shoulder Taps Targets the abdominals, gluteus and shoulders. Start from a high plank position, with wrists under shoulders, arms fully extended, and feet shoulder-width apart. Make sure that your back is a straight line from heels to shoulders, your core is braced, and your glutes are contracted. If needed, the plank position can be done from your knees. Keeping your core still, touch your left shoulder with your right hand. Return to plank position and repeat with the opposite shoulder and hand.
