If you haven’t heard, “Sitting Disease” is the new smoking and its killing Americans. With the vast majority of hours being racked up in the office, individuals now more than ever, need to find ways to be physically active at their desk. So what’s the latest in fitness technology and products? Here are a few creative options:
Office Furniture that doubles as Gym Equipment
Treadmill desks have been around for a while and now the data is showing how effective they really are.
Read MoreWho here loves running on the treadmill?
Didn’t think so.
A major reason many people can't stick to an exercise regimen is because they don't enjoy the actual act of exercising. Some people dread it and others just find it very boring. Not sure why, because robotically staring at a screen while you run in the same spot for 60 minutes can be thrilling.
Read MoreWarming up is critical to a better overall performance and reduces the risk of injury. It’s essential to a good workout. The safest way to exercise is to gradually raise the body’s temperature and loosen the muscles before starting into your full body workout. That’s what warm ups are designed to do. You can warm up with a light run, using the cross trainer, completing some jumping jacks or a combination of the above. Five minutes should be enough time to allocate to a warm up.
Read MoreI’ve had great intentions in recent years in terms of exercising and keeping fit. The motivation and dedication to get to the gym has been there which is great as that’s half the battle. Where I’ve been lacking is in the execution. I’ve been going to gyms on and off for years and making some steady progress in the beginning and then noticing a plateau or a drop off in improvements after a couple of weeks or months. I put my finger on the problem a while back in a previous blog post – I wasn’t pushing myself to get out of my comfort zone. I tasked myself with the goal of fixing that problem and I believe I have found the solution in recent months in the form of Functional Training classes.
Read MoreIn my last video log I introduced my 30 day challenge. It’s time to put a bit of meat on the bones of that challenge in this blog. I’m a big believer in setting goals and challenges for yourself, in every aspect of life. I’m concentrating on a health challenge. My aim is to be as healthy as I can be for 30 days. You can look on this as a detox, as preparation for a sporting event like a race or a big match, or simply a way of adopting a healthier lifestyle. Whatever your own personal goals, I know you will gain a lot from following my lead.
Read MoreAs most people will know it’s surprisingly easy to neglect your physical health to the point where it becomes more of a habit than actually trying to be healthy. I was without question one of those people. I had the comfort of having always been quite thin all my life, I've never had the added pressure of being overweight and feeling like I "had" to lose weight or appear healthier than I was. The truth of the matter was that I was far from healthy.
Read MoreI've been fortunate enough to spend time in gyms in both Ireland and Brazil recently and I've come to notice some interesting differences. The Brazilian model wins without question for me. It’s important to note I haven’t travelled the length and breadth of both countries researching this (interesting idea though). I'm basing my argument on about 10 gyms I've frequented in recent years in the Dublin area versus a couple of gyms in Rio de Janeiro and a handful more around Florianopolis in the south of Brazil.
So what makes the Brazilian approach win out?
Read MoreThis week on Office Worker Health I’m delighted to welcome a guest post from my old University class mate Mark O’Brien. Mark is a Cert 4 qualified personal trainer and physical therapist. His qualifications include a Diploma in Physical Therapy, a Diploma in Remedial Massage and he is currently completing an Advanced Clinical Diploma in Myofascial Release from his new base in Sydney, Australia.
Read MoreYet another first this week on Office Worker Health, it’s my first ever interview! Owen Percy is the resident personal trainer at my local gym in Ashtown, Dublin 15. I’ve never taken a class or had a training session with Owen however I have been seeing and hearing lots of positive feedback from his clients for quite a while now so who better to chat to about all things health and fitness (with a focus on office workers of course).
Read MoreI've been hitting the gym three times a week every week for the last 6 months for resistance training (check out my routine here), with a bit of cardiovascular exercise thrown in on top of that probably twice a week. I'm delighted with my discipline and I can honestly say my exercise routine has become a habit now which was a goal I had set for myself. This might sound like I'm patting myself on the back here but that’s not the case at all because overall I'm a little disappointed with my progress. The blame for my slow progress, I believe, can be laid at the door of my ‘comfort zone’ (and the fact that I'm not getting out of it!).
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