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Burn Office Calories

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 05:30:00 PDT

So what if you sit at a desk all day? There are hundreds of opportunities to burn calories from nine to five, and avoid job-related weight gain. According to Fitness magazine, there are some easy ways to stay fit and still keep your job. To see the list,

Earn More Money By Changing Up Your Office Space

LearnVest — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:15:07 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Most of us spend about 40 hours per week at work - in other words, the majority of our waking hours.

And nearly all of those hours are spent sitting at our desks. It’s a definite problem - and not just because we’re missing happy hour or quality couch time at home.

There’s no shortage of discouraging research pointing out the evils of a sedentary lifestyle and claiming that sitting will actually shorten our lives.

But, conversely, making a few tweaks to the way you sit - and the space you sit in - all day has been proven to make you a happier, healthier worker, busy earning your killer salary.

And, scientists say, the happier you are, the more you tend to earn.

In an effort to make the time spent at our desks as productive (and as profitable) as possible, we’ve combed the research for the easiest, most effective tips to soothe your mind and body when trapped in a cubicle . . . or corner office.

Just follow these four steps.

1. Make It Comfy

When we say “comfy,” we mean “ergonomic.” It’s an unfriendly word for a friendly concept: basically it means “intended to provide optimum comfort and to avoid stress or injury.” Friendly, right? Besides, an awkward workspace can lead to major health issues, including disorders in your joints or tendons, so a little tweaking of your cubicle can go a long way for your well-being. Line up your body correctly by following these two principles:

Your feet should be flat on the floor and your elbows should be even with your desk. This can be achieved either through adjustable chairs or - if chairs are a hot commodity at your office - a combination of step stools and pillows.

Read on for more tips.

Ways to Ramp Up Workouts For Holiday Indulging

Michele Foley — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 03:35:54 PST

Confession: I've thrown in the towel when it comes to healthy holiday eating. Between the cocktail parties, office treats, and elaborate dinners, it seems near impossible! To compensate for my indulgences, I am ramping up my fitness regimen. (Recent studies confirm that regular exercise minimizes weight gain that comes from a fatty, high-calorie diet.) If holiday indulgences also have the best of you, see which kind of calorie-torching workouts will give you the most bang for your buck during this season of indulgence.

Intense cardio: If you're looking to melt away fat, walking mindlessly on the treadmill isn't the most effective way to go. New research says that intense workouts are the key to weight loss and speeding up metabolism. Skip the recumbent bike and choose a spin class, cardio kickboxing or dance class, or run continuously on the treadmill at a challenging speed. The idea is to keep the heart rate up and feel so out of breath that you wouldn't be able to carry on a conversation. Need guidance? Use the talk test to gauge the intensity of your workout.
Interval training: If going at a fast pace for an entire workout seems daunting, opt for interval training instead. Whether you're running, biking, or on the elliptical, alternate back and forth between moderate and beyond-fast speeds. A recent study in the International Journal of Obesity confirms that interval training is key when it comes to getting rid of belly fat. Interval training also increases the after-burn effect. This means that post-exercise, your body burns more calories, even at rest or sleep, after doing intervals than after doing a steady paced workout. Check these examples of interval workouts to do on the elliptical, treadmill, and more.
Circuit training: Circuit training is the best of both worlds: a workout that mixes strength training with cardio. (This also makes it an effective workout to do when time is short.) Even though it may not seem like it, building muscle is key to losing weight. Since muscle tissue requires more energy to exist than other tissues (like fat), it burns more calories overall. Mixing it in with cardio keeps the heart rate up, meaning you kill two birds with one stone. Check out this 30-minute circuit workout.

4 Surprising Things You Don't Know about Calories

Prevention — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:12:55 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Only 12 percent of Americans can estimate the calories they eat in a day! Find out why we're so clueless and get easy ways to stop calorie confusion.
By Mara Betsch, Prevention

You know what calories are, and you probably know that if you eat too many, you’ll gain weight. But do you know how many are in your favorite deli sandwich? Or how many calories you should really eat each day? Most Americans don’t. Only 12% can accurately estimate the number of calories they should consume in a day someone their age, height, weight, and physical activity, according to a 2010 survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation. So what is it about calories that keeps us baffled? Here are 8 reasons you’re confused about calories and the simple steps that will help you do the math.

8 Healthy Foods That Help Fight Disease

1. Portions Sizes Are Out of Control
You’ve all heard about the rapidly expanding serving sizes of restaurant and fast food portions, but just how bad are they? Portions sizes in restaurants may contain double or triple the calories of home-cooked meals, and studies show eating out is associated with a higher BMI. Unfortunately, those portions affect our waistlines. When there’s more food on the plate, people eat more-up to 30% more, according to an analysis of several studies.

Stop the confusion: Use this cheat sheet of portion sizes. We know it’s hard to look at your plate as decks of cards, tennis balls, and all the other, so start by measuring out your food servings at home and take a good look at what a half-cup of pasta looks like. Until the serving sizes are engrained in your brain, when dining out, aim to eat half of your meal, saving the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Comfort Food That’s Actually Good for You

2. Serving Sizes Are Deceiving
"There really aren’t standard serving sizes for packaged foods, which makes them confusing," explains Elisa Zied, RD, author Nutrition at Your Fingertips. She gives the example of cereal. A standard serving size of breakfast cereal is approximately 50 g, but depending on the cereal, that could mean a cup and a half of flakes or half a cup of heartier granola. Depending on the type of cereal you’re eating, just eyeing how much you put in the bowl, like most people do, can lead to inaccurate calorie counts.

Not only that, but larger-than-life snack foods may seem like single servings even though they often contain two to three servings per packet. Buy a 16-ounce bottled Coca-Cola, and the nutrition label reads 100 calories . . . for one of the two servings in the bottle. Drink the whole thing, as many people do, and you’re really getting 200 calories. Eat the whole bag of Austin Zoo Animal Crackers, commonly found in office vending machines, and you’re getting 230 calories, nearly two servings, instead of just one.

Keep reading to learn even more about calories!

Exercise Labels May Be More Effective Than Nutrition Labels

Leta Shy — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:50:10 PST

Calories in, calories out - it's not so much that it's confusing, but that it can be hard to keep track of it all. What if, instead, nutritional labels did all the work for you, by including the amount of exercise it would take to burn off all those calories in the food?

A new study found that when teenagers were shown just how many minutes of exercise it takes to burn off a can of soda, the number of people who reached for the sodas fell by 50 percent. In fact, the teens were less likely to buy the sodas if they were shown a sign saying that it would take 50 minutes of exercise to burn one can of soda off than if they were shown a sign that told them that the sodas were each 250 calories.

Thinking in terms of your workout can be an effective way of practicing healthy eating. After all, if you know how much sweat and energy it takes to burn 300 calories, you may be less likely to mindlessly reach for the office candy jar while you work.

Does calculating calories in terms of how much you exercise work for you?

The Biggest Diet Trends of 2011

Leta Shy — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 03:35:06 PST

Like years before, 2011 was chock-full of trendy diets that got everyone talking, as well as trying. So what were the top diets of 2011? Read on to find out!

HCG Diet
The HCG diet isn't new (it's been around for more than 50 years), but it's once again a phenomenon. This was the year that people flocked to doctor's offices to get a pricey hormone injection all in the name of weight loss. The diet's deal: eat a restricted calorie diet, usually 500 calories a day, and inject the HCG hormone (or use drops or lozenges) every day. The claim is that the HCG hormone, which occurs in pregnant women naturally and helps them burn fat to use to feed their babies, helps convert body fat to energy so you get all the adequate calories you need every day without feeling hungry, but experts warn that there aren't any studies that prove the safety and effectiveness of the diet.

Paleo Diet
Eat like your ancestors did - as in, the ones from a very long time ago. The Paleo diet is a meal plan based on the hunting and gathering instincts of cavemen. That means lots of free-range, grass-fed meat, fresh seafood, and vegetables, but no grains, dairy, legumes, refined sugars, and processed foods. The Paleo Diet's main focus is to improve your overall health, and many people who have been on it say it's cured their digestive conditions, such as IBS. Experts are split on whether or not it's an effective diet - especially since some very common foods, like dairy and grain, are forbidden.

Read on for more top diet trends of 2011.

5 Reasons Playing Golf Is Good For Your Career

Diana Nguyen — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:00:52 PST

I know. Golf? I, too, was guilty of judging the sport as a slow, boring, old boys' club. But what was once TV programming to induce weekend napping is now one of my favorite sports to play, and not just for the health benefits. In fact, the greatest driving force behind why women play is for business reasons. There are more than six millions female golfers just in the United States, and here are five reasons why I think you should be one more - for the sake of your career.

Great networking opportunities. Golfers have a median household income of more than $80,000, and 93 percent of them own at least one home. Those statistics coupled with the fact that golf is a luxury sport (it's about $40 on average to play one round) makes its players generally affluent and successful. In the four to five hours to finish a round, you never know when you could befriend someone with the right connections.

Keep reading for four more reasons why you should take up the game.

Reasons to Give Up Your Desk Chair For an Exercise Ball

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:08:06 PST

This week I replaced my office chair with an exercise ball. Aside from being fun to bounce around on while blogging, sitting on a ball over a regular desk chair has other benefits. If you're desk-bound, here are some reasons to consider swapping out your chair for a stability ball.

Better Posture
With no chair back to slouch into or armrests to lean on, you're almost forced to keep your back straight, which can encourage better posture. Although there's no scientific evidence to back this up - studies show that sitting on a medicine ball can still lead to slumping - I have to say that my posture has definitely improved since I started using a medicine ball instead of a chair. Using an exercise ball doesn't automatically result in better posture; you have to remain aware of your torso and maintain a straight spine. Of course you can do this on a regular chair too, but sitting on a ball with no back or arms acts a constant reminder.

Stronger Core
Sitting up tall forces you to use your core muscles, which not only tones your midsection, but can also help prevent back pain. Remember to actively sit on the ball with a straight back - slouching forward on a ball will not give you a six pack!

Continue reading to find out two more reasons you'll want to sit on an exercise ball at your desk.

Keep Your Fitness in Check With Jawbone UP

Kristy Korcz — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 04:45:51 PDT

As 2012 approaches, you'll no doubt have some sort of resolution to get healthy. Rather than go it alone, why not employ some kind of smart technology to keep you at the top of your game? The UP might be just what you need. The Jawbone UP (yes, that Jawbone) is your wearable fitness monitor - it tracks your fitness levels, monitors your sleep and eating habits, and keeps you challenged with community activities.

Built with something called MotionX technology, the UP is said to be wicked accurate for monitoring your daily activities like walking, your pace, distance, calories burned, but also gets really detailed with your sleep habits since you wear the thing 24/7 (even in the shower - it's water-resistant!). No kidding - the UP doesn't just monitor the numbers of hours you've slept, but can also pinpoint how long it took you to fall asleep, the various different phases of sleep, and your overall sleep quality. The band even vibrates to "nudge" you awake at the optimal time during your natural sleep cycle. So thoughtful.

And as you may have guessed, the UP integrates with your iPhone to provide you with on-the-go stats and totals, but you can also use your camera to snap pics of the food and snacks you eat to compile your own virtual food journal. Fact is, when you know you have to take a picture of what you're eating, you're more likely to skip that piece of pie at the office potluck. Speaking of office, you can set the UP to remind you to get up and away from that computer screen during specific intervals throughout the day to get the blood flowing.

Coming in seven colors - blue, white, silver, brown, black, and two tones of red - the Jawbone UP seems to be the front-runner in the wave of new fitness gadgets, and by far the most wearable for the ladies. Get yours (or add it to your wish list) on Nov. 6 for $99.

Diet Tricks the Pros Tell Their Friends

Health — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 04:25:12 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on FitSugar.

By Leslie Barrie, Health.com

Wish you had your own get-slim dream team? Well, you're in luck: we tapped celebrated weight-loss pros and asked them to share the one strategy they feel makes the biggest difference.

Weave these seven wonders into your daily routine, and you’ll be wowed by how the little changes really do add up.

Trick your taste buds
"Taste buds are malleable little fellas. When they can’t be with the foods they love, they learn to love the foods they're with. Make a short-term commitment to choosing more wholesome closer-to-nature foods with less added salt, sugar, saturated fat, and trans fat. Within weeks, you’ll start to prefer these now-familiar foods."
- David Katz, MD, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center

Health.com: Fat-Proof Your Life

Indulge every day
"Eat a small amount of dark chocolate - I'm talking a 100-calorie piece that’s made of at least 70% cacao-every day. I consider it ‘the daily dark chocolate escape.’ Doing this curbs your cravings for both sweet and salty foods. You’re much more likely to be satisfied and not reach for those cookies or chips. My clients say this allows them to pass up samples at the market without feeling deprived."
- Cynthia Sass, RD, author of Cinch! Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds, and Lose Inches and co-author of The Ultimate Diet Log

Health.com: 16 Little Ways to Lose Big Pounds

Keep reading! There are more helpful tips after the break.

Activity	Calories Burned
Typing (120 minutes)	230
Heel raises while sitting at your desk (5 minutes)	19
Walk the stairs on your lunch break (15 minutes)	128
Touch up your makeup (5 minutes)	10
Clean your desk and drawers (15 minutes)	40
Stand while on the phone (30 minutes)	58
Desk stretches (15 minutes)	59
Go for a jog on your lunch break (20 minutes)	158
Bike to and from work (20 minutes)	118
Do some strength training with dumbbells (5 minutes)	15