It was that time of day again where almost every guest in Fresh & Co. needed an escape. If you work in an office, you know how difficult it is to be active during the day. This week I dashed out of my 3 hour meeting to head to “Fresh” for a salad, and I found myself joined by like-minded NYC workers hoping to get a nutritious lunch. I looked around and it was great to see smiling faces, but many were just staring down at their smartphones, and not seeing the opportunity to help their fitness goals and move. When it comes to reaching certain fitness levels, daily physical activity is key. Between waiting on lines at Fresh & Co. try doing some exercises while you wait so you can easily squeeze exercise into your life.
Here are some of my tips for waiting in line or walking around a store:
· If you hold a bag or briefcase, try 12 reps of bicep curls in each arm. We are constantly picking this up and putting them down, so it is important to strengthen our arm muscles.
· Perform squats in place. This may seem silly, but if you position yourself in the right place, it will come across as normal. Check out the pre-packaged food, not by leaning over, but rather by squatting so you engage your lower body and core muscles. If you leave your bag on the floor, squat in place as you gather your things.
· While you stand, go into a wide stance, press your heels to the ground and squeeze your gluteal muscles to work your rear and thighs. You can also simply perform heel raises in place to strengthen your legs.
· If you are feeling ambitious, do knee-lifts in place and balance on one leg to exercise those core and leg muscles.
· My two top tips are to practice good posture and walk as much as possible. We hunch and sit all day, from commuting, working at the desk, or texting on our cell phones. It helps while we stand on line practice to good form and posture, which will help make you stronger. Inhale through the nose and get oxygen flowing through your body for a dose of energy. Relax and retract your shoulders, keep your core tight, chest lifted, and show the world how confident you are when you walk or stand upright. Also, walk up and down the stairs to and from work or to your desired lunch place. I purposely skip the subway every morning to get my body and mind running. Staying fit and healthy is easy if you adapt simple ways to bring wellness to your day.
The next time you are out and about, practice good posture and see if you feel better or if more people notice this new powerful aura. Try adding more movement or exercises throughout your day. As always, ask me any questions for your personal fitness and wellness goals. Please feel free to contact me at michelegfit@gmail.com, follow me on Twitter @MicheleGFIT, or read my blog at makeitwithmich.blogspot.com. Staying fit, strong, and healthy is easy when you stop at to Fresh & Co. for a nutritious meal or snack, and stay active!
