‘Alterior’ Motives: Fitting in fitness

ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- (Editor's note: This is the second in a three-part series on healthy habits.)

As much as I enjoy living here in England and working for the 48th Fighter Wing, there are times when I think about my previous assignment.

At my last base, I still lived in the dormitory, and my schedule made it very easy to work out. The running track and fitness center were right outside, and the base was blessed with a climate that allowed running outside all year long.

Here in England, I live off-base, so trips to the track or gym take more time. Our ops tempo keeps me in the office longer. And when I do get time to run, the notoriously unpredictable English weather often keeps me inside on a treadmill.

So what's an Airman to do when they can't get to the gym on a regular basis? I visited the Lakenheath Fitness & Sports Center to find out.

"The Surgeon General recommends 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week," said Lorraine Botwright, 48th Force Support Squadron fitness program director, "but the benefits are still there if you spread them out, such as five to 10 minutes each hour. You don't need to keep a treadmill in the break room."

Fitting exercise into busy workdays may just be a matter of changing habits, said Ms. Botwright.

"Change those smoke or coffee breaks into exercise breaks," she suggested.

But I don't smoke or drink coffee. What else can I do?

I learned there are several exercises that can be done in an office environment. Senior Airman Travis Ringer and Airman 1st Class Jared McGrady, 48th FSS fitness and sports specialists, showed me a few that can be done with office chairs, stability balls and padded dumbbells right at my desk.

"I try to work out in the office by grabbing a dumbbell or doing pushups," said Airman McGrady, who also said quick exercises needn't be just in the office. "Exercise speeds up your metabolism, so some of the best times to exercise are when you first wake up and before bed."

Airman McGrady also suggested setting an alarm to remind you when it's time to exercise.

Additionally, office exercisers should keep their limits in mind when stretching their muscles.

"It's easy to pull a muscle if you overexert yourself, so be careful of your range of motion," said Airman McGrady.

If you want to exercise without even having to leave your desk too, follow these easy steps:

Squats:
1. Stand with your chair about one foot behind you, feet at shoulder length.
2. Bend at the knees to 90 degrees, just letting your bottom touch the chair; then pop back up.
3. Repeat for 10 to 15 minutes.

Leg Lifts:
1. Sit on a stability ball, resting your arms on your desk.
2. With your legs pointing straight out, lift them up 90 degrees, then lower.
3. Repeat for about 5 minutes.

Abs:
1. Position a roller chair in front of you, with the back facing away from your body.
2. Place your hands on the arms of the chair.
3. Push your chair away from you while keeping your feet planted on the floor, bending at the waist 90 degrees, then straighten up, pulling the chair back toward you.
4. Repeat for one to two minutes.

Push-ups:
1. Keep your hands shoulder-length apart and your back straight.
2. For a proper push-up, your elbows should break 90 degrees.
3. Perform three sets of 20.

Curls:
1. While seated in your chair, use either a small dumbbell or a resistance band held under your feet.
2. Keep your elbow pinned to your side.
3. When curling, extend your arm all the way down, but you needn't bring your hand fully up to your shoulder. Lifting to where your arm is parallel to the floor will suffice.
4. Perform two sets of 13.

Crunches:
1. While seated on your stability ball, plant your feet firmly on the floor.
2. Placing your hands on your chest, lean back until you are at 180 degrees (be sure you leave enough room to avoid hitting your head on your desk), then sit back up.
3. Repeat for three sets of 25.