What do you do to stay healthy and active while using the computer for several hours a day?

Question

Most users who would use this site are faced with long hours in front of a screen every day. What can be done to stay healthy and active while adapting to this lifestyle?

Answer 1

I recently started biking to work, and it's making a big difference. I'm lucky in that my workplace recently installed a shower, but in the (Florida) winter I was riding in with just a change of shirt and underwear. Changing those and a fan at my desk to cool off after arriving left me not too sweaty.

The shower makes a big difference, though. Now I can really ride for speed and get my heart rate up during my commute.

Answer 2

Start a fight club at work. When everyone leaves for the day, lock yourself and a dozen of your pasty-white comrades inside a conference room with a variety of office implements - staplers, chairs, keyboards, and have at it! Make sure no one leaves any contusions above the neckline and have an optional no south-of-the-border-attack policy.

The pounds will melt away in no time. ;)

For a SERIOUS answer, there is always the perennial favorite - the Hackers' Diet

Once you get smart about metabolism and building basic lean body mass, you can find activities that fit into your routine.

Answer 3

I started to train for races.

I'm running in the Chicago 1/2 Marathon this september, and plan on running in the Rotterdam marathon (for my 30th bday) in April.

Answer 4

I started biking to work and running with a run club after work. Ended up doing 36 marathons, 5 of them at Ironman distance triathlons. You get addicted, and it snow balls out of control!

Ended up doing a couple of years of over 1000 miles of running a year, over 5000 miles of biking, and usually 100K or so of swimming.

Then I moved and got married and had a kid, and now I am fat and slow.

Answer 5

After work I just got back to the Gym (suffered a shoulder injury which kept me down for a LONG TIME)

Take the stairs instead of elevator (although my recent job does not have an elevator)
I do small stomach exercises (tight and release) while sitting
I drink a lot of water during the day
I stopped eating snacks during the day
I take a walk after work (haven't had time lately)

Since I started at my latest job, I have actually lost 25 - 30 pounds. I have been here for about 2 years. -- Just started back at the Gym for about 2 months.

Answer 6

I walk to work instead of taking the bus (I live a little over a mile away), and about twice a week I pretend that I can keep up at squash with the early twenty somethings in the office.

Answer 7

Here are a few tips:

• Cut processed food out of your diet, especially sugar
• Get your caffeine through green tea instead of sugary drinks
• Take a break from staring at your screen at least every hour to save your eyes
• If you are overweight stand up at your workstation instead of sitting
• If you workout do it in the morning before work it gets your heart pumping and wakes you up for the rest of the day

and one last thing, this might be a bit extreme for most reading this, but Ross Enamait has a bunch of great books about working out with little or no exercise equipment, there is also a forum on his site full of good information.

Answer 8

Take the stairs at all times. Stop taking the elevator. Well, ok, if you work in Manhattan, just take the first 10 floors or something.

Answer 9

I try to work out as often as possible - and since I am a computer freak, I log everything on DailyBurn. :)

Answer 10

It's all a matter of cutting down on your vices while replacing them with more healthy activities. For example:

• Cut out solid food - instead, drink high-calorie beer.
• Avoid snacking in between meals - instead, smoke to reduce the cravings.
• Avoid using the elevator - instead, tone your muscles by falling down the stairs.
• Don't drive to work - instead, sleep under your desk, and use the time you save to practice chair-luge.

Answer 11

Play DDR/stepmania.

Answer 12

Where I work, we play soccer on Tuesday and Thursday at lunch. On top of my regular golf games (2-3 times a week) and my flag football and dodgeball leagues... I find that it helps me keep healthy and active.

The key is: Find something you are interested in doing and the rest comes naturally. I prefer social games, so I can meet new people too, but some of my friends are in to hiking or rock climbing or trail riding.

Answer 13

After spending about 4 to 5 hours in front of the computer, I hit the gym. Weight lifting and running (2-3 miles)... I find they clear the mind; when you get back to the computer your able to function so much better.

Answer 14

I work out and bike (road bike 10+ miles 3 times a week, mountain bike 1 day a week 1-2 hours, and spin class on crappy days where I can't bike)

Answer 15

Regular activities like walking the dog, and Ultimate Frisbee.

I find it hard to stay very 'active' in the winter without some kind of indoor equipment (gym or otherwise).

Answer 16

I started doing strength training with a personal trainer 1 day a week, so I would stop losing muscle mass. I also do some sort of cardio training (biking, swimming, hamster wheel, skiing, tennis) for an hour a day at least 3 days a week.

In the past, when my body could take the punishment, I practiced wushu during most of my free time.

Answer 17

Here's an answer that doesn't have to do with physical training as such. Think of your eyes! I was having these unpleasant out-of-focus blurry spots so of course I ran to my eye doctor, sure I was going blind [Jewish angst, OK?;-)] and he said everything was fine but our human eyes aren't really designed to stare at a computer monitor all day. He said to try and practice his 20-20 routine; i.e., for each 20 minutes in front of the screen, look away at things that are at a distance for 20 seconds. He said that constantly staring at the monitor puts the muscles of the eye in one position and they get tired. I am not disciplined enough to do this but I do find that when I'm starting to get an "eye-ache" looking away really helps.

Answer 18

Dancing is another form of exercise. It can be useful for socializing as well.

I also exercise with cycling or jogging. I take part in Sydney's City to Surf, and had a successful goal of doing it under 100 minutes last year, so that I could take part in a faster group this year.

Answer 19

I do 10 miles on my mountain-bike every day - only way I've found to sucessfully drag myself away from the computer screen while counteracting the flab-building effects of being a software developer.