Since it’s the end of January, take a moment to do a mental recap of your New Year’s Resolutions and how they’ve faired so far. Don’t be discouraged if you barely made it past the first week, there’s still plenty of time to reach your weight loss goals this year. Fortunately, you or someone you know happens to own an adjustable height desk, so you can workout at work to gain more success in your weight loss ventures.

If you’ve followed the Xdesk blog, you’re aware that even a thirty minute or hour workout every day isn’t enough to offset the effect of sitting eight or nine hours behind your desk. So technically, if you have been exercising with no results, you can blame a sedentary lifestyle.

But don’t let your desk job stop you from working out at work! You don’t have to do an intense, sweat-inducing exercise; it’s the small movements from sitting to standing throughout your day that have the biggest impact. Just standing alone has the power to burn some serious calories.

If you really want to take it to the next level, add in the Xdesk Fit Treadmill. The Xdesk Fit is a great accessory that’s designed to work with all Xdesk models. It’s small, and equipped with advanced technology for a seamless “workout.” The Bluetooth system records your walking history to an Online Fitness Club to track your progress. And it’s all easily controlled with a digital LED display console.

The majority of people are unsuccessful in their weight loss goals because they typically dive in head first without a plan. Preparation and strategy is essential to success. Sitting all day, eating poorly and not exercising are typical habits, and old habits are hard to break. Once you’ve reevaluated your New Year’s Resolution, develop a detailed game plan of how you’re going to reach these goals.

For one, you can start by standing more often throughout the day. The data speaks for itself; people who stand more experience greater concentration, more energy, and weight loss. Don’t be afraid to workout at work.

When you develop a strategy, get your coworkers involved to keep each other accountable and on track. Chances are they’ve made the same weight loss resolutions you have. You can even turn your strategy into friendly competition between everyone in the office. The person who loses the most weight earns a free (healthy) lunch!

As previously mentioned, don’t be discouraged if your New Year’s Resolution hasn’t gotten very far. There are small lifestyle changes you can make to get back on track in no time. Standing more often, using a treadmill desk and getting others involved will have a significant impact on your results.

The post New Year’s Resolution Recap: Workout at Work appeared first on Xdesk Blog.

And who can blame you? With the onset of cold weather, comfy sweaters and jackets will hide any pounds added on – and the extra weight will act as insulation (right?). You can eat a second slice of pecan pie and not give it a second thought.

But if you’d like to avoid the crash diets and frantic, overly-sweaty workouts once swimsuit season rolls around, it’s best to start early and stay in the habit of working out.

Thankfully, since you have an adjustable height desk, there are plenty of workouts you can perform without having to leave the comfort of your workstation.

If you need equipment to keep you motivated, there is workout gear you can leave at the office that won’t take up too much space. And maybe if you’re constantly staring at equipment while on a conference call, you’ll be more enticed to use it.

Even better, this exercise equipment can be used sitting or standing behind your adjustable height desk.

1. Kettlebells

Kettlebells are great for the office.

Who wants boring weights when there are kettlebells? Use these when you’re alone in the office, it’s best to avoid giving your boss a black eye during an impressive windmill (unless he really deserves it … kidding).

Kettlebells are more challenging than regular dumbbells since the weight isn’t evenly distributed. You can tone your arms, core and shoulders with these guys. Research shows that people who used kettlebells for 20 minutes burned close to 300 calories. How’s that for motivation?

For a subtle maneuver behind your standing desk, this workout is easy to perform during a brainstorm session:

Around-the-Body-Pass: With your desk adjusted to your height, hold the kettlebell with two hands in front of your torso and your feet hip-width apart. Next, release the kettlebell from one hand and move both hands behind your back. Grab it with your left hand and bring it around to your front. Avoid moving your hips to keep your core engaged.

2. Bosu Balance Trainer
You might be surprised to learn how much your body can benefit from a Bosu Balance Trainer, and when you’re done, slide it under your standing desk for easy storage. The balance trainer gives you a full-body workout and strengthens your agility.

Like they say, never skip leg day, so this exercise will work out your lower body. And it helps that it’s fun and keeps you moving:

Standing Hip Abduction: With your desk raised to the appropriate level, stand on the balance trainer and place your hands on your hips. When you’re balanced, lift your right leg to the side and back down to the balancer. Switch to your left leg and repeat. To make it more difficult, move your head from side to side with each leg lift. When you’re done, jump to get your heart pumping and your body in motion (and it’s like having a trampoline at work, come on).

3. Resistance Bands

There are thousands of workouts to do with resistance bands

Resistance bands are great for the office – roll them up for easy desk storage and when you’re ready to tone, take them out and put them to use. Since these guys work your back, arms, glutes and more, it’s strange that they’re not in every office today.

This is one out of a thousand exercises you can perform with resistance bands:

Pull Apart: With feet shoulder-width apart and your standing desk adjusted accordingly, grip the middle of the band with both hands at shoulder level. Keep your arms straight and pull the band out and back, contracting your shoulder blades. Repeat 10 times.

4. Balance Ball Chair
Since we’re starting to think about the holidays, the balance bar chair would make the perfect office gift – and it allows you to work out while sitting down. If you need a break from your adjustable height desk but need to keep moving, this chair will do the trick.

It’s similar to a balance ball, and helps you improve your core strength and posture. The chair will keep you from “lounging” and help you to sit at attention:

Seated March: Lower your desk to the appropriate chair height, and sit on the balance ball with your abs tight. Slowly march, alternating left and right feet. When you’re comfortable, lift your knees higher or bounce on the ball. Repeat.

5. Pull up Bar

Pull up bars are easy to install, and work well in home offices

This workout gear will bring you back to the days of gym class – desperately trying to reach your chin over the bar while your skinny arms trembled. Today, we’re older, stronger, fatter, and determined to lose it.

The pull up bar has undergone an evolution, now there are tons of bars for everyone. You can hang it from the wall, over the door, and even from the ceiling above your adjustable height desk. Now there’s no excuse not to have one at the office.

You know how this works:

Chin up: Adjust your desk to the highest setting (so you can still see the computer screen). With your wrists facing outward, pull yourself up and hang for 30 seconds, then slowly lower your body back down.

You may not look like Patrick Bateman (and hopefully not act like him) by the end of these office workouts, but who knows? Do these daily behind your standing desk (or pump up your workout with a walking desk), combined with gym time and you’ll definitely feel and look your best by springtime.

Do you have any of this exercise equipment? Bring it to the office and tell us your favorite workout!

The post Work Out Gear to Accessorize Your Standing Desk appeared first on Xdesk Blog.

Ever wonder why you can’t shed those last few pounds? Here’s why.

If you are like countless Americans, you’re probably trying to lose weight. And, like countless Americans, you are probably sitting down while you read this—perhaps at work at your traditional, seated desk.

Obviously, there is a direct correlation between these two facts. Sitting down for long periods of time can and will add fat to your body—particularly in the areas that you are sitting on (namely butt and thighs). I’ll go deeper into this in just a moment, but first I want to reassure you that there is a solution: It’s called a Xdesk Fit, the latest treadmill workstation.

That’s right, you don’t have to rush into your boss’s office or pick up the phone and dial your employer with your two weeks’ notice. Change the way you work with the Xdesk Fit treadmill workstation.

There is hope. And now that I’m sure you won’t do anything rash, let me get back to the science behind my claim:

Sitting makes you fat.

A recent study has shown that by sitting for long periods of time, your body can generate up to 50 percent more fat in those areas (as mentioned above: hips, butt and thighs).

In this study, the participants who were sitting for long periods of time developed 50 percent more liquid fat (gross!) than regular fat cells.

Furthermore, exercise outside of the office isn’t enough to counteract the long periods of sitting at work. This face got my attention, because I have always been very active—after work. But for many years, I would sit at my office desk for about 8 hours a day, taking only short breaks to walk or stand, and then go to the gym. I never really thought I needed to lose weight, exactly, but I didn’t understand why I wasn’t with my active workout schedule.

So when I read a study that claimed “even those who eat well and exercise will have more fat at the waistline and hips from excess sitting,” well, I stood up.

But to take your calorie-burn even a step further than using a standing desk or adjustable height desk, you need to be moving. That’s where the latest innovation, the Xdesk Fit treadmill workstation, comes in.

With a treadmill workstation you can burn about 100 times more calories than you when you’re sitting. And with a Xdesk Fit you’re not walking that fast (you’d be hard pressed to focus on work if you were!).

The simple act of moving and lightly walking with your treadmill desk for just 2-3 hours a day can help you to burn fat, and even lose up to 45-65 pounds in a year.

Now I said treadmill workstation, rather than treadmill desk because with Xdesk’s latest and greatest, you’re truly getting a complete workstation—not just a dinky table.

To find out more about losing weight the right way—with the Xdesk Fit from Xdesk in particular—check out our previous post about this marvel in ergonomic furniture.

Trust me, I’ve tried it out and I’m counting down the days until I can get my own treadmill workstation.

Happy walking everyone!

Do you use a treadmill workstation at work or home? Share your thoughts and tips below!

The post Why You’re Not Losing Weight appeared first on Xdesk Blog.

These simple exercises performed behind your adjustable height desk will help you stay in shape.

By standing behind your adjustable height desk you’re already burning more calories and bettering your health than if you were sitting down. And while that’s great and all, do you ever get bored just standing around?

That’s the great thing about an adjustable height desk. You can move around, you can alternate between sitting, standing, and somewhere in between. You can pace, you can dance, and yes, you can even get in a quick workout.

That’s what I’ll be going over in today’s post: working out behind your standing desk. It might sound a little bit…odd, but getting in a quick and simple workout while you’re at work is a great way to keep your energy up, stay in shape, and stay sharp throughout the day.

Of course I’m not asking you to jog five miles in between emails—for one thing, you’d come back all sweaty, and there simply isn’t time to do that in the workday. The workouts below are simple, they’re quick, and you can do many of them right behind your adjustable height desk.

Enjoy!

Legs

• Football Feet. You can do this seated or standing with your adjustable height desk. Simply tap your feet rapidly, like you’re running on fast-forward, for about 1 minute. Rest and repeat.

• Step Climber. This is the most basic workout: Take the stairs to your office. If that isn’t tough enough, jog them or take them two at a time.

• Calf Raises. Behind your adjustable height desk, raise your heels slowly off of the floor and then lower them. I’m doing them as I type right now—you won’t even need to take a break.

• Lunges. You can do these in place or walking around your office. You might even start lunging down the hall to the printer instead of walking—just ignore the giggles.

• Leg extensions. This is one you’ll need to do with your adjustable height desk in a seated position. Sit down, extend your right leg until it is level with your hip, and hold it for as long as you can. Then repeat with the left side.

Arms

• Spinny-arm-things. Okay, there isn’t a name for this, but here’s what you do. Stand behind your adjustable height desk, extend your arms straight out from your shoulders like a T, then rotate them in small circles for about a minute. Do the same motion the other direction. It sounds simple, but after about 100 of them, you’ll feel it!

• Shoulder raises. Raise your shoulders to your ear, hold, and then relax. Repeat. Easy.

• Triceps dips. Put your arms behind your back, resting your palms either on your chair or on your adjustable height desk in a very low position. Raise and lower your body, using the triceps as your lever.

• Push-ups. This is where your adjustable height desk really becomes a workout tool. Adjust the height of your adjustable height desk so that it is a bit above your navel. Do 10-15 push-ups here. Then lower it so that it is below your navel, about at your hips. Do 10-15 push-ups here. Finally, when you can’t lower your adjustable height desk anymore, you can do a set of push-ups on the ground, either from your knees or toes.

• Flyers. This is very similar to the “spinny-arm-things” listed above. This time, though, you’ll stretch your arms out in front of you until your hands touch, and then behind until your hands touch (hopefully). Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Full Body and Cardio

• Chair Squats. Squat down, knees over ankles, until you are almost sitting in your chair. Let your butt tap the seat, stand up, and then do it again.

• Wall sits. Lean up against the wall, but squat down as though you are sitting in a chair. Stay here for about one minute, squeeze your abs tight into your back, and do not rest your hands on your legs for support.

• Squat jumps. Squat down, touch the ground in between your legs with your hands, and then jump up, reaching your arms above your head.

• Backward leg extensions. Using your adjustable height desk for support, stand on one leg and reach the other leg behind you, squeezing your glutes and the back of your thighs. Pulse your leg for about 20-30 reps, then switch sides and repeat.

• Jumping jacks. This classic workout is great for the office. Just enough to get your heart rate up a little, but not enough to drench you in sweat before a meeting.

Stay in shape behind your adjustable height desk, or while getting to and around the office with these 15 simple workouts. Even if you’re not a gym member or marathon-runner, you can still stay healthy—just by going to work!

Do you use your adjustable height desk for office workouts? Share your workout ideas below!

The post Stay in Shape at your Standing Desk appeared first on Xdesk Blog.