Physical Exercise and Wellness Programs at Work

In today's world, it is not uncommon to see emails at work encouraging you to get active and stay fit. Employers are being very conscious of staff's need to have balance and wellness in their lives, because there is no doubt, that a healthy body and mind can only lead to greater productivity. There are many approaches to weight control in the workplace, some of which are very organized. 'Weight Watchers at Work' is a program designed to have a Weight Watchers counselor conduct weekly meetings in the office for the convenience of staff. This tends to be quite a successful program because the team is working toward a common goal and holding each other accountable for reaching it.

There is another program called 'START' that encourages people to form teams and compete on their own time to accumulate the most walking miles. In my office, there are people who take their bicycles to work and go riding at lunch time. It is also not uncommon to see dumbbells and other small exercising implements under the desks of co-workers. Some people even use the dumbbells to do arm curls while sitting in meetings.

More and more, people are finding more creative ways to get do some exercise while at work; from stretching and bending to squatting and lifting, the workplace is toning up. One very smart idea, is to place your most needed supplies in the top shelves of your bookcase. This will ensure that you stretch high to retrieve a pencil or a stapler.

I too have taken some steps to get some exercise into my day by having my computer networked to a printer that is far from my office. This way, I am forced to walk or sometimes run to get my documents. Many people complain about the number of meetings that they attend each day, but there are advantages to a busy schedule. If you leave your office approximately one minute before a meeting begins, then you will be forced to walk faster so you can get there on time. There are also some advantages to higher gas prices. You can walk to a nearby restaurant for lunch and then walk back to the office to burn some calories.

Another thing you can do, is start a walking club at work. If your building has stairs, join with a group of friends and use those stairs for a quick lunchtime workout. I have a friend who takes roller blades to work and do five laps around the parking lot before getting in his car at the end of the day.

It is said that we need about 30 minutes of exercise each day. If you can find a way to work out in 10 minute intervals throughout the day, you can get all the exercise you need without spending a fortune at the gym.