Trainer Tip of the Week
Monday, August 24, 2009 by kateThis week’s trainer tip comes from LA celebrity trainer Patrick Murphy, who has worked with the likes of Eva Longoria and Mario Lopez*.
Murphy says:
“Sitting at your desk? You can still be physically productive. Draw-in your abs towards your spine and hold for 5 seconds to equal 1 abdominal crunch.”
Granted you probably won’t get Mario’s abs, but every little bit helps. Makes sense. I eat at my desk, shop at my desk, make important phone calls** at my desk, oh yea, and I work at my desk, too. So why can’t I workout at my desk?
Here are some other work workouts you can try:
-- Take the stairs. I know. This is old news. But let's make it more tangible for you. You can burn about 40 calories in just 5 minutes on the stairs. That’s almost an Oreo cookie (55 calories)!
-- While sitting in your chair, stick one leg out straight and hold for 5 seconds; then lower your foot so it hovers over the floor and hold for several seconds. Do each leg 15 times. Sounds easy, but you’ll be feeling it by the end.
-- Put your hands on your chair arms and lift yourself off the chair. Hold it for a few seconds. Do this 15 times.
-- Grab your desk and slowly push your chair back until your head is between your arms. Then slowly pull yourself back in. Do this 15 times.
-- Stand up and place your hands on your desk. Walk backward, then do push-ups against the desk. Repeat 15 times.
-- Sit up and turn your head to the left and your torso to the right, and hold. Repeat 15 times.
-- Try to get your shoulder blades together. Hold, and then relax.
-- My all-time favorite is the butt workout. No one will know you’re working on your J.Lo bum while on a conference call. Now: Tighten your buttocks and hooooooold, and then relax. Repeat 15 times.
If you’d rather not get weird looks from coworkers, just take it outside. Go for a walk at lunch. You’ll burn about 100 calories per mile. (If you walk 2 miles at lunch you’ll burn off that glazed donut you ate at the morning meeting!)
How do you fit workouts in your work day?
* Which I take to mean that I’ll look like Eva if I do what he tells me to.
**to my mother
Murphy says:
“Sitting at your desk? You can still be physically productive. Draw-in your abs towards your spine and hold for 5 seconds to equal 1 abdominal crunch.”
Granted you probably won’t get Mario’s abs, but every little bit helps. Makes sense. I eat at my desk, shop at my desk, make important phone calls** at my desk, oh yea, and I work at my desk, too. So why can’t I workout at my desk?
Here are some other work workouts you can try:
-- Take the stairs. I know. This is old news. But let's make it more tangible for you. You can burn about 40 calories in just 5 minutes on the stairs. That’s almost an Oreo cookie (55 calories)!
-- While sitting in your chair, stick one leg out straight and hold for 5 seconds; then lower your foot so it hovers over the floor and hold for several seconds. Do each leg 15 times. Sounds easy, but you’ll be feeling it by the end.
-- Put your hands on your chair arms and lift yourself off the chair. Hold it for a few seconds. Do this 15 times.
-- Grab your desk and slowly push your chair back until your head is between your arms. Then slowly pull yourself back in. Do this 15 times.
-- Stand up and place your hands on your desk. Walk backward, then do push-ups against the desk. Repeat 15 times.
-- Sit up and turn your head to the left and your torso to the right, and hold. Repeat 15 times.
-- Try to get your shoulder blades together. Hold, and then relax.
-- My all-time favorite is the butt workout. No one will know you’re working on your J.Lo bum while on a conference call. Now: Tighten your buttocks and hooooooold, and then relax. Repeat 15 times.
If you’d rather not get weird looks from coworkers, just take it outside. Go for a walk at lunch. You’ll burn about 100 calories per mile. (If you walk 2 miles at lunch you’ll burn off that glazed donut you ate at the morning meeting!)
How do you fit workouts in your work day?
* Which I take to mean that I’ll look like Eva if I do what he tells me to.
**to my mother
Labels: abs, celebrity trainer, Eva Longoria, Mario Lopez, Patrick Murphy, workouts
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Kate grew up on Oprah’s skinny jeans, Richard Simmons and the Cabbage Soup diet. So she’s basically an expert. Follow her updates on the latest health news, trends and tips.