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Ask Slashdot: How To Stay Fit In the Office?

Posted by Soulskill on from the five-pushups-for-every-non-work-related-pageload dept.

Kochnekov writes "This week I started my first co-op job as a chemical engineering student. I work in an R&D lab, but in between daily tasks there is a lot of downtime, which I spend at my desk, staring at my computer. I know Slashdot is used mostly by IT professionals and desk jockeys, so chances are you've all encountered the draining effects of sedentary office life: joint and back pain, weight gain, heart health risks, etc. What are some ways to counteract the negative health effects of a desk job, both during and after work?"

31 of 372 comments (clear)

  1. Stand At Your Desk by Press2ToContinue · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I have an expandable lapdesk placed on top of my desk, elevating the laptop about a foot, and I sit on a mid-height stool so that I sit-stand all day. It makes a big difference in my legs and back.

    --
    Sent from my ENIAC
    1. Re:Stand At Your Desk by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I second this. A stand up desk is great for your legs, back and heart. Sitting can kill you. I use a 27" monitor with this arm, suspended from an overhead shelf. I can pivot it between a standing and sitting position. But as my legs and back have strengthened, I spend less and less time sitting. Now I usually only sit for meals and meetings.

      Another advantage to standing, is that when people come into my office, they want to talk to me at eye-to-eye level. So they don't sit down either. This results in short-and-to-the-point conversations.

    2. Re:Stand At Your Desk by Runaway1956 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      People do deteriorate when confined to a wheelchair. People who are aware of that fact can do something about it.

      Jim was a UDT/Frogman. (Note, he wasn't a SEAL, they didn't have SEALS when he served.) Long after his discharge, Jim discovered that he was diabetic. Long story short, he lost both legs to diabetes. When his legs were cut off, he woke up in a recovery room with another guy who had the same problem, same amputation.

      Jim resisted efforts to sell him an electrically powered wheelchair. His room mate bought a high dollar powered wheel chair.

      The old sailor lived for decades, powering his own wheelchair with his own arms. His room mate only made it about 7 years. Each year, that room mate gained more weight, grew weaker, got lazier and lazier, and finally died.

      You're right, studies are needed, but you're most certainly on the right track with your guesses.

      --
      "Windows is like the faint smell of piss in a subway: it's there, and there's nothing you can do about it." - Charlie Br
  2. Excercise and diet by DrLang21 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Seriously. Regardless of what your working situation is, it's as simple exercise and diet. Take your lunch to work and be active on weekends. This makes a huge difference. If you're lucky enough to have a gym at work, use it.

    --
    I see the glass as full with a FoS of 2.
    1. Re:Excercise and diet by TheRealMindChild · · Score: 4, Informative

      Why do you even need a gym? Or wait for the weekends? Instead of standing around the water cooler, do as many pushups as you can when you have 30 seconds. Do the same before every urination break (you'll work really hard really fast). You will spend literally minutes a day, yet be in better shape than the 99%.

      --

      "When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back!" -- Cave Johnson
    2. Re:Excercise and diet by The+Dancing+Panda · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Because then you look like a weirdo in your office. Geeks a lot of times have issues feeling awkward. This won't help.

    3. Re:Excercise and diet by Jeremi · · Score: 4, Informative

      Because then you look like a weirdo in your office. Geeks a lot of times have issues feeling awkward. This won't help.

      The flip side of that coin is that if you're a geek, people already think you're weird, so you don't have much to lose there.

      --


      I don't care if it's 90,000 hectares. That lake was not my doing.
  3. Nearest Gym by rogueippacket · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Ask your colleagues, I bet a good number of them go there during lunch or at some other predetermined hour, several times per week. And don't feel even a little bit bad about leaving your desk - it's a great way to network within the company and develop camaraderie, which can ultimately lead to full-time employment and higher moral.
    Alternatively, if you are working some place fairly isolated, you can bike to/from work one or many days per week, weather permitting.

  4. Simple exercises by Nerdfest · · Score: 4, Informative

    Push-ups, sit-ups, plank, and jogging. There are also lots of stretching exercises that you can do during the day.

  5. Doughnuts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Doughnuts, plenty of doughnuts. They contain all the nutrients you need and help keeping you in shape.

    1. Re:Doughnuts by The+MAZZTer · · Score: 4, Funny

      Well, I suppose "round" is a shape.

    2. Re:Doughnuts by Weaselmancer · · Score: 4, Funny

      It will give you the body of a god! Unfortunately, Buddha.

      --
      Weaselmancer
      rediculous.
  6. If you have lots of free time... by blahplusplus · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ... walking believe it or not. Walking steadily for multiple half hour to one hour stints over the entire day adds up. I lost 40lbs walking 4 hours a day/7 days a week for 4 months. It's all about commitment, don't make excuses when it comes to your health. Without your health nothing else matters. Take it from someone fairly aged, as you get older you're not as energetic as when you're younger so get it done ASAP. People tend to under-estimate how important it is to prioritize health over everything else. IMHO health should come even _before_ your job because without it you're just digging yourself a whole that is harder to climb out of as you get older.

    But before you even begin to exercise DO find out how much you are eating or exercise is pointless. A great site is fitday, for the first week or so monitor religiously and input data on everything you eat including days you over-eat.

    http://www.fitday.com/

    In my opinion if you eat a lot of unhealthy foods you should start to remove some of the worst from your life and replace it with something healthy. You don't have to go all health nut but eating better goes a long way when coupled with exercise. Take it from someone who has been there, done that.

  7. build in exercise, mobility by sillivalley · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If you have a printer in your cube, get rid of it -- use one that makes you get up and walk.

    Use stairs rather than elevators -- use a loo on a different floor to get more use of stairs,

    If you drive to work, don't park next to the building, park where you get to walk some.

    Rather than eating lunch one or more days during the week, take a walk locally instead.

  8. Any kind of heart rate raising activity will work. by singingjim1 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    But that shit is boring. Don't stay up late watching Colbert Report and get up early and ride a bike. And ride it like someone is chasing you that wants to kill you. I've lost 75 lbs and have turned myself into an elite amateur athlete (won a few races here and there on the road bike and mountain bike) by getting up early and riding. It works big time (I'm proof) and it's WAY more fun than calisthenics or going to a gym to work out. I work in front of a computer all day long. Cycling is literally saving my life.

  9. ssh tunnel to a proxy, block images + colors by Rogerborg · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Browse Slashdot while you're supposed to be working, use your lunch time to go for a walk.

    --
    If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
  10. Enroll in Martial Arts by rwa2 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I've been doing Tae Kwon Do most of my life, and it works pretty well for nerds. I found a school with lots of scientists and engineers, and the emphasis was more on personal growth than competitive sparring.

    There's a lot of geometry and physics to think about while you're practicing your drills, and you spend a lot of time thinking about optimizing the various systems in your body. And you get to collect a lot of tools and hacks, various things you can do with your body and other people. Also, I learned a bit of Korean, and get conditioned with some of the exotic cultural protocol as well.

    So it might be a good option to check into if you find gyms boring and team sports out of your league.

    1. Re:Enroll in Martial Arts by IdolizingStewie · · Score: 4, Informative

      For the record, back when I took it, my TaeKwonDo instructor made it very clear that it was going to be worth very little in a real fight. I'd almost argue it has a negative effect, because you condition yourself to aim for the most ineffective spots. The Jujitsu (weeping style and Brazilian style) he taught us when he got bored might be a little more helpful, but was still conditioned at getting yourself free long enough to run.

    2. Re:Enroll in Martial Arts by The+Dancing+Panda · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I'm an Aikido guy (2nd Degree Black belt). It's fairly useful in a fight (depending on your teacher, I guess). Mostly for teaching you how to get around one, or making it look like all self defense. My Dad (4th Degree, owns his own club) has taught SWAT teams and Police forces, because it's pretty good for subduing attackers without a lot of blood.

    3. Re:Enroll in Martial Arts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Krav Maga is the only form of self defense that is worth anything in a real fight.

      More useful forms of self-defense (roughly in order of usefulness):

      • Don't be an idiot that starts or otherwise gets into fights for stupid reasons.
      • Avoid situations where fighting might happen.
      • Convince the other guy not to fight.
      • Have pepper spray or similar deterrent.
      • Be able to find law enforcement before the other guy can attack you.
      • Be able to run faster and/or longer than the other guy.
      • Be able to hide.
      • Give the other guy what he wants, memorize his face, license plate number, etc., and let the police handle it.

      All that fails, then physical self defense would be worth it. I probably missed a bunch, but you get the idea.

  11. Intermittent Fasting works for me by candeoastrum · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Intermittent Fasting has been my savior. Between the commute and spending time with the family I don't have much time for working out so IF (eating every other day) has been a godsend for me. It may not work for you but to each his own.

  12. Risks of Yoga Ball Chairs by billstewart · · Score: 4, Funny

    I used to use a yoga ball as my home office chair. It took a little while to get used to, but my muscles adapted quickly enough.

    Then one day I backed up and scared my cat. He slashed at the ball, claws out, and I started sinking slowly to the floor as it deflated.

    --

    Bill Stewart
    New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
  13. Re:Round by PT_1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    most slashdotters are round in shape asking them for fitness advice is a horrible idea.

    I'm sure lots are, but I'd be surprised if there is a significantly larger proportion of overweight Slashdotters than in the general population. Staying healthy and being a geek aren't mutually exclusive.

  14. Cycling to and from work by blind+biker · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's tons of fun and it's healthy. Best of all, the time you spend on your bike going to and from work, is your own time, you don't feel like it's yet more of your life sacrificed on the altar of your employer.

    --
    "The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam" - Japanese ministry official.
  15. For me it was easier than I thought by bjdevil66 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Bottom line for many of us: 1) Cut back on the sugar and 2) take breaks from sitting. It really is that simple.

    I'm a developer chained to a computer screen most of the day. Until early last year I was 220-225 lbs. (at 5'11"-6') - your stereotypical, middle-aged, pot-bellied developer dad.

    Then one day last spring, I stopped eating the leftover junk on the snack table at work. Then I started eating eggs for breakfast sometimes, instead of a large bowl of "healthy" cereal. Jerky replaced a crappy hamburger when I didn't pack a lunch. Then I cut way back on the 9PM donut and diet soda runs to Circle K and the 11PM chips and salsa fests. If I had a sweet snack like ice cream, it'd be a scoop or two - not a full bowl of it.

    That's all I changed. No crazy, expensive exercise DVD sets, gym memberships, or "chicken and leaves" diet torture. I just took a little more responsibility for what and how much junk I was eating.

    I was genuinely surprised to see that over the next 3-4 months I dropped to 200-205 lbs, and I've stayed there, ever since. It's a sustainable change that has helped my belly size (I look better and feel a lot better) AND my wallet.

    I also get up and walk around a few times a day. Instead of cigarette breaks, it's walking breaks. I can still think about what I'm working on, and my back and legs feel much better afterwards.

  16. Masturbate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Masturbate at work, often. It's good cardio, keeps your arms limber (switch up from time to time), and keeps your hand-shaking grip good and firm for those office meetings.

    It's also very good for your morale and overall calmness, which will spread to your co-workers around you and create a feedback loop of contentedness. You will seem to everyone to have it together, you'll get raises and promotions. You'll be great at racket-ball with the execs due to exercising your grip and pump. Eventually you will be made President of the company.

    That's right: Chronic Masturbation will make you the President. That's how I became the President of the Hair Club for Men.
     

  17. Downtime in lab? Find something useful to do by Mr.+Underbridge · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I work in an R&D lab, but in between daily tasks there is a lot of downtime, which I spend at my desk, staring at my computer.

    I say this as a manager in an R&D lab:

    I want to hire self motivated people. And co-ops are a great way to end up with a full time position. But I will avoid like the plague people who sit staring at their computer because they weren't told what to do. If you weren't told what to do, ask what to do. If you get no guidance, suggest a side project of your own to work when you don't have other tasks. Failing that, if you're a scientist, find some journal articles and get smarter.

    I wholeheartedly support the effort to get in shape, but I wouldn't start treating on-the-job downtime as an opportunity to engage in extracurricular activity. It might suggest you're not serious about your co-op. I realize you're probably young and think you're doing enough if you're doing what you told, but the people who get ahead are those who motivate themselves.

    Best of luck in your co-op.

  18. Cycling and stretching. by DaveSlash · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Bike to work, take stretching brakes.

    --
    Burn FAT not OIL
    1. Re:Cycling and stretching. by 50000BTU_barbecue · · Score: 5, Funny

      Bike to work, take stretching brakes.

      Stretching brakes sound very dangerous. What if you need to stop suddenly? I'd rather have normal brakes on my bike.

      --
      Mostly random stuff.
    2. Re:Cycling and stretching. by datavirtue · · Score: 4, Interesting

      The 30-30 rule: After 30 minutes of sitting you must get up for at least 30 seconds and stretch. Look up ergonomics for the office and practice good eating habits. I recently sat with an ergonomics expert and nutritionist. I was feeling dead at the end of the day--taking naps when I got home--and generally run down and old. At 34 I knew this wasn't right so I brought it up to him. He said I was running out of gas because I wasn't eating enough! I was essentially starving myself by only eating twice a day which was preventing me from losing weight (I work out at the gym 2-3 times a week) and it was making me feel dead. As soon as I started eating small protein rich meals every two hours with a cutoff of 7pm per his recommendations I came to life instantly. He said It would make me feel like crap the first week or two but it didn't. I started dropping weight immediately, visiting the restroom more often and I felt like and still feel like a warrior. Complete change. He told me that everyone who works in an office sits wrong, far too long, and they eat horrible diets. Stay away from fast food and heavy meals all together. Don't forget to hit the gym or strap on the running shoes a few times a week!

      --
      I object to power without constructive purpose. --Spock
  19. True Story time. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Around two years ago I worked in a remote field office of a big company. Alongside me were hundreds of engineers, technicians, electricians, mechanical guys, you name it. Most of the time everything was just fine, with no real issues.

    One day a new electrical engineer arrived on the scene. He was maybe 6' (give or take an inch) and lean and mean. He was an Aikido guy, and soon began teaching people after hours.

    The guy had kind of a douchey attitude, always stalking the halls like the Terminator hunting for Sarah Connor. He scowled a lot and generally played the Hard Man routine for all it was worth.

    One day he cornered me in the work canteen. I stand a hair over 6' 4 1/2" and weigh ~270 lb. He seemed to be offended by this, even though I'm not in any way a fighter, and I don't work out or train in anything.

    He demanded to know if I did any of that martial arts shit, so I told him I had a black belt in running away. That offended him even more, and from then on he sneered and smirked whenever he saw me.

    Like I gave a fuck.

    Anyhoo, one night a couple months later I was in a local bar having a quiet drink. Actually, quite a lot of them, because I drink too much. Nevertheless, I was happy, when in walked Mr. Aikido and his Dojo Posse. Some of them were guys I was formerly friendly with, but had now assumed the Hard Man mantle of their sensei.

    Still, I minded my own business like always, reading a magazine and drinking some more, but - you guessed this was coming, right - Mr. Aikido stomped up and snatched the magazine away, throwing it across the room. He shoved his face close to mine and said "Run away."

    So I stood up and made to leave, because I'd drunk too much already and it was past my bedtime.

    This caused Mr. Aikido no end of amusement and also disgust, so he pushed me into a table. When I regained my balance and turned to face him, he punched me really fucking hard in the guys.

    Christ it hurt, and I doubled over, winded. Then I puked all over him, because, you know, it's never a great idea to punch a fully-laden drunk in the guts at the end of the night.

    As you can imagine, this did not please Mr. Aikido, so he gave me a smack in the head that was so hard it made me remember where I'd left my spare car key back in 1998, the one I'd not been able to find.

    So my gut feels like it's been ruptured and I'm sure my brain is falling out through the new hole in the side of my skull, so I did the only thing I could do. I fell on him.

    And he was fucked, because as fast and strong and honed and skilled as he was, all of that shit, I weighed half as much again as he did, and I squashed him to the floor.

    While we're down there he starts trying to knee me in the nuts, and I realized that if he was successful I'd be in big trouble, so I did the only other thing I could do. I smashed my forehead down on his nose as hard as I could. I pretended his face was a pillow and I was about to go to sleep.

    It hurt me, but it hurt him way more. I felt the bones in his nose crush and I think I heard his cheekbone crack, but then again I was pretty fucked up myself at this point.

    But that was the end of that. He was out for the night.

    The bar owner came and helped me up, because I was a good customer who'd probably paid off his boat for him, and he shoved me out the front door and into the back seat of a truck. Next thing I know I wake up on my kitchen floor at home and it's morning.

    Mr. Aikido spent a couple days in hospital and was away from work for a few weeks. When he came back he avoided me, then after a while he was gone. Transferred out, I was told.

    The first moral of this True Story is that it doesn't fucking matter how 1337 are your m4d sk1llz if a huge vomiting drunk falls and pins you to the floor and smashes your fucking face in. The second moral is don't be a fucking douche.