Do you have a job that keeps you sitting at a desk most of the day? Are you constantly battling weight gain and muscle loss? Do you work out in the evenings or mornings and eat right, but you still feel like you’re gaining fat? You’re not alone!

More and more people find themselves unhappy in their “dream” jobs, not because they don’t like the work, but because they feel their bodies deteriorating around them. Sitting down all day is bad for you. It’s a common, known fact, but what can you do about it? According to Competitor Magazine, an online runners’ publication, you can fight the malaise and the atrophy with a few body weight exercises .

What is a body weight exercise? Body weight exercises are exercises where you use your own weight to help gain fitness. One of the most basic of these is the plank. This may look a little funny to your coworkers, but ignore them. They’re getting fat, while you’re getting lean.

To do a plank, lie face down on the floor. Put your hands on the floor at shoulder width. Now, raise yourself up by straightening your arms and balancing on your hands and toes. Make sure your back is flat. Now, stay there for thirty seconds to a minute. It sounds easy, but it’s deceptively difficult. Rest for thirty seconds, then repeat.

If you have time in your plank break, do some push ups, as well. These will work on your upper body strength, while your planks work more on your core strength.

If you add in some lunges, reverse lunges, lateral lunges, and other body weight exercises, at random intervals throughout the day, you’ll find that your metabolism increases. You’ll have more energy to get through your day, and you won’t be battling weight gain. Body weight exercises give you a great way to break up your day and get healthy.

Tags: body weight, exercises