From back pain to brain fog, sitting behind a desk all day can take a toll on the mind and body. Whether your goal is to boost your weight loss results or simply incorporate more movement into your day, you can combat the effects of sitting for extended periods by incorporating some quick and easy calorie burners into your day at the office.
Read on to uncover the benefits of burning calories while sitting at your desk and get started with some suggested exercises.
Can I burn calories at the office?
You may have to get creative but rest assured, there are easy ways to burn calories in the office. The key is to take quick breaks throughout the day and use that time to squeeze in movement. (Don’t worry, we’ll show you some exercises you can do at your desk!)
You can also use these recommendations as a guide for how to burn calories at home. Break up periods of sitting on the couch with bouts of movement to burn more calories.
The benefits of exercising at your desk
Again and again, studies have demonstrated how important regular exercise is to our health. But if your job doesn’t allow for a lot of free time, why not incorporate that physical activity during your work day — and still reap the benefits?
Here are just a few of the health benefits of desk workouts:
- Increased productivity: Working out during the day is proven to increase energy, productivity, and creativity. It’s also been shown to improve focus, concentration, alertness, decision-making skills, and multitasking abilities.
- Reduced stress: Adding physical activity to your day is a great way to reduce work-related stress and improve mood.
- Less sitting: Have you heard the expression “sitting is the new smoking?” Staying active at work will reduce the time spent sedentary, and even brief breaks from sitting are beneficial. Or, doing seated exercises can keep you active while in your chair.
- Higher metabolic rate: Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the number of calories required to keep your body functioning while your body is at rest. “At rest” means you’re not exerting any extra effort. For example, sitting at your desk or the couch in your living room. When you take a walk or do some chair exercises, you temporarily boost the energy you expend, resulting in a faster metabolism. This makes desk exercises helpful for weight loss and maintenance.
How many calories do I naturally burn every day?
The number of calories you burn each day varies widely. You burn calories just to keep all your body functions working (your BMR), but you also burn calories by moving your body. Your daily calorie burn is unique to you because it’s determined by several personal factors, including:
- Age
- Sex
- Body size
- Muscle mass
- Genetics
- Hormones
- Diet
- Health status
- Activity level
- Medications
- Sleep
- Life stage (such as pregnancy or menopause)
Does sitting burn calories?
Technically, yes. You’re always burning calories to keep your body warm and maintain basic function. But your calorie burn while sitting is considerably lower than it is when you’re up and moving. That’s because it takes more energy to move your muscles than to sit still. So, if you want to burn more calories during the day, be sure to get up or work your muscles with some chair exercises.
Can I lose weight by doing exercises while sitting?
You may be able to help your weight loss efforts by incorporating seated exercises into your work day. Even small bumps in your calorie burn can add up, helping you reach the calorie deficit needed to lose weight.
How to burn calories at your desk
Can’t carve out time for a workout during your workday? You can do plenty of desk exercises to burn fat with minimal space, equipment, and time.
7 bodyweight exercises to burn calories at your desk
To burn more calories at your desk, get up at least once per hour and do one of the following bodyweight exercises. The more intensely you move, the higher your heart rate (and calorie burn).
1. Air squats
How to:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms by your sides.
- Hinge at the hips and bend the knees to lower your body toward the floor. As you lower down, raise your arms in front of your chest. Keep your back flat.
- Push yourself back up to standing and return your arms to your sides. Repeat.
Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
2. Reverse lunges
How to:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms by your sides.
- Step one foot backward and gently drop your back knee to the floor while bending your front knee.
- Lean your torso slightly forward to keep the weight on your front leg.
- Push off your front foot to return to the starting position. Repeat.
Do 5 reps on the left followed by 5 reps on the right. Repeat 3 times.
3. Inchworms
How to:
- Stand with feet hip-width apart.
- Bend forward at the waist and place both hands on the floor in front of you.
- Keeping your feet in place, walk your hands forward until your body is in a high plank position.
- Walk your hands back in and stand up. Repeat.
Do 5 reps.
4. Touchdown squats
How to:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and arms by your sides.
- Hop both feet into a shoulder-width stance and immediately bend your knees to drop into a squat.
- Touch the floor between your legs, alternating between your right and left hand with each rep.
- Hop your feet back to the starting position. Repeat.
Do 3 sets of 10 reps.
5. Single-leg reaches
How to:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Hinge at the hip with your back flat. Lift one foot behind you until your knee is bent at 90 degrees. Lower your torso and reach your hands toward the floor.
- Slowly return to an upright position. Repeat.
Do 5 reps to the left followed by 5 reps to the right. Repeat 3 times.
6. Windmills
How to:
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Extend one arm overhead and place the other arm inside the legs.
- Shift your hips back and lower the hand inside the legs toward the floor.
- Return to an upright position, keeping one arm overhead and the other between the legs.
Do 2 sets of 5 reps per side. Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other.
7. Squat chop
How to:
- Begin at the bottom of a squat position with your arms held to the side and your wrist extended past your knee.
- Stand up, bringing both arms overhead while rotating your torso and pivoting on your back foot.
- Lower back into a squat. Bring your arms back down and around to the side position. Repeat.
Do 2 sets of 5 reps per side. Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other.
Other easy ways to burn calories at work or home
Aside from doing desk exercises, you can burn calories at home or the office in other ways. Here’s how to burn calories at home or work:
- Use an exercise ball chair: Replace your desk chair with a balance ball (also called a stability or fitness ball). Unlike sitting on a chair, sitting on a balance ball requires you to engage your core. This makes it a great way to boost your calorie burn for weight loss. It can also help improve your posture!
- Go ahead and fidget: Did you know that people who fidget burn more calories? That’s because even the slightest movements require energy. Try this: Lift your heels about one inch off the floor while seated. Then, move your knees up and down, coming up onto your toes. Move faster or slower, or take one leg at a time.
- Take the stairs: Skip the elevator when you visit other floors. Or, start using the bathroom or drinking fountain on another floor and use the stairs to get there. Take two stairs at a time to boost your calorie burn. If you work from home, run up and down a flight of stairs (or all of them if you live in an apartment or house with multiple levels). Plus, it doubles as a cardio workout, making it great for heart health!
A final word on how to burn calories while sitting at your desk
Learning how to burn calories while sitting offers many benefits, from increased mood and productivity to a higher metabolic rate for weight loss. Pause every 60 minutes to do some desk exercises and you’ll see (and feel!) a difference in no time.
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Got more questions? From exercises to do while sitting to lose weight to the best upper-body exercises for muscle growth, our expert Coaches have the answers you’re looking for — all in the Anytime Fitness App. Download now.
