Surfing The Internet To Lose Calories?

After our previous article on how to turn television time into a more stimulating exercise (either physically or mentally), I was inspired to write about how to make computer time more healthy and how to lose calories while sitting. Most people complain that they spent a lot of time chained to their desks and want to know how they can add some fitness to their workdays.

First of all, are you following the rules of healthy computer usage? For every hour you sit down in front of your computer or at your desk, you should spend five minutes stretching your legs, preferably walking outside while thinking calm, gentle thoughts. These exercises you can do at your desk may not seem like much, but that can already add up to 30 minutes of exercise a day or more, while making you more productive at work, since stretching and centering exercises reduce the number of careless mistakes made at work.

Secondly, rethink your work environment. I sometimes bring my work with me to a coffee shop or the library just so I can have the excuse to walk there, work on my laptop and walk back. If you're using your computer at home or at the office, put it on a counter that is comfortable for you to use when standing up, and don't put a chair near it. Forcing yourself to stand is a great way to burn energy, strengthen your legs and promote healthy weight loss. You might not do this all day, but doing this for at least three (or even one or two!) hours a day is already enabling you to burn 150 more calories than you would have burned sitting down…and with minimal effort.

How much time do you spend in front of the computer every day? Do you have other tips to get the most out of your computer time while staying fit? Do you have suggestions regarding on how to burn calories while sitting? Let me know by leaving a comment, I’d love to hear from you.