Does 'fidgeting' really add up?

[Joanna]

Hi everyone

Due to my current 'work at home' situation, I have been getting less activity than I was when I was working normally, so one the goals I set for myself was to try and work breaks into my day to move around a little. I remember reading that Denise Austin does half an hour per day of formal working out, and gets in the rest of her activity with little 'fidgets' throughout the day, so I thought I would try that. I set myself a goal of at least 15 one-minute breaks and so far I seem to be keeping them okay. It certaily feels nice to get up and move every little while and for that reason alone I'll do it.

I was wondering whether you guys think that these little breaks can really up to anything significant, fitness-wise. I have been doing mostly cardio-type stuff: jog of the spot, marches, kicks and the like. And I suppose that technically it does add up to 15 extra minutes of cardio per day, which can't hurt. But I probably could do strength work too, couldn't I? If I picked a different body part per break and did as many reps with a heavy weight as I could in one minute, could I actually get in all my strength work this way?

Like I said, I plan to keep this up for the time being regardless, just so I am moving a little---to replace the walkign arounbd a large office, trips to the bank, etc. that I used to do. But I'm curious to hear people's thoughts on whether this extra activity really can add up to anything significant fitness-wise.

Joanna

[Reg]

Other than maybe getting the flow of blood going, I don't see how it'd help aerobically since you're barely using your glycogen stores in one minute and aren't even tapping into your fat stores. I'd see strength training routines more beneficial than thinking of doing it to add up to your aerobic time.

[horsemom2]

I have read that fidgeting can burn up to 800 extra calories a day!

Barb S
who tries to keep my toes tapping while typing which causes more typos

[Vintage VFer]

To me, fidgeting is not cardio. My naturally thin husband is a fidgeter. He can't sit still for a minute. I've read that fidgeters tend to be slimmer. I've observed this in lines at the PO, etc. Some folks have to have some part of their body in motion at all times. And they do tend to be thinner. I think it is from having a higher metabolism. (As opposed to those folk who lean on the counter the whole time as if they can barely carry their own body weight for five minutes.)

I've also read several theories about adding short segments of true cardio per day. It make sense to me that movement is movement and it all adds up. The short bouts of movment, cardio, strength or stretching will keep your joints lubricated and keep you limber. And keep the lymph flowing to maintain your immune system.

If you are at a desk you could sit on your resistance ball. That incorporates balance. And you can take breaks doing sit ups, stretches, bounces, etc. on the ball.

[gelfling]

I sometimes work from home and also "fidget" I find it really helps to counteract the stiffness that seems to settle on me all too quickly these days and as Reg says it helps to get my blood going, which helps my body and my mind - it's pretty good for helping me to work though problems especially the coding kind!

Lately I've been watching my cat closely and have been doing a little bit of cat yoga before I start my day working from home and it's certainly helping me to wake up and become alert (I am a night owl and quite allergic to mornings .) I try to include a formal workout at the time I would usually stop for lunch but when I'm on a roll, I tend to work through lunch so I can finish earlier and then work out.

I don't think that fidgeting adds up in the same way that a full workout because it's not a sustained activity but I do think it adds up to make the mind and body realise that we're changing into active people and that it ought to start burning that fuel it's been storing because we're no longer sedantary 9-5 people with a break for lunch... we could be active at any time Just a little hopeful speculation on my behalf
ATB,
- Lisa
Edited to clarify that I didn't mean that I meant on a roll as in on the inspiration train not standing on my lunch! ~ahem~

[stepdancer]

Lisa,
Covert Bailey said something about fit people not being able to keep still, so this could be one of those chicken or egg first questions.

What about warm up and cool down for your mini workouts?

I don't know what kind of work you do but maybe you could stand while you work or use a headset and pace while you work.

You could also drink gallons of water which would add walks and squats to your day

Valerie

[gelfling]

Originally posted by stepdancer Lisa,
Covert Bailey said something about fit people not being able to keep still, so this could be one of those chicken or egg first questions.

I think that's an excellent point and I'm definitely smaller than I ought to be considering all my body has been through. I put this to my Mum who immediately cleared up the mystery for me by letting me know that I was born fidgety :rolleyes:

What about warm up and cool down for your mini workouts?

I don't know what kind of work you do but maybe you could stand while you work or use a headset and pace while you work.

All my work is done at a computer but I did recently buy myself a laptop so I could work in almost any position and this has really helped to ease the pressure on my back. It's also doing a great deal for my creativity because the possibility of being able to write anywhere without cramping my hand has really freed my mind which had somehow got stuck in neutral.

You could also drink gallons of water which would add walks and squats to your day

ROFL!
ATB,
- Lisa

[Suzanne]

Hi,
Lots of good points here. I have come from an athletic background and then became a couch potatoe and now I'm back to working out. What I have found out for myself is that every bit of movement seems to help me. I personally belive that working out combining aerobic/carido, stregth training, stretching and flexiblity training is the best way to go. Going from a couch potatoe back to working out I found figeting really helped me but I also added 5 to 10 minutes of walking which adventually made me stronger and as my strength improved so did the length of my workouts as well as the intensity. I'm unfortunately starting out again but plan to do what I had done before to get stronger again because I know it works from a personal experience. Just have to not let myself let life get in the way and keep working out. After all, I believe that you must think of working out as a life change. It's something to improve our health and keep us strong even into our later years. Good Luck and keep figdgeting!

[stepdancer]

um, Lisa, I don't know these. Please enlighten me. what is ROFL? and ATB?


ROFL!
ATB,
- Lisa [/B][/QUOTE]

[gelfling]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by stepdancer
[B]um, Lisa, I don't know these. Please enlighten me. what is ROFL? and ATB?

Np (No problem)
ATB= All The Best
ROFL= Rolling On the Floor Laughing or Rolling On the Floor with Laughter depending on the list of net acronyms you prefer
I used to work for a rather well known ISP and one of my smaller jobs involved checking the list of emoticons and acronyms etc. for the Online help areas I managed and while I don't like to employ acronyms very much my poor fingers (I'm one of those people who can't help but sound like they're bashing their keyboard when they type :rolleyes: ) prefer me to resort to a few or they go on strike!
ATB,
- Lisa
Edited to add: and some days they won't even let me use punctuation! LOL I really must start using the preview button