12 Healthy Ways to Get Lean, Mean, & Gorgeous

Photo by: Designed by Naomi Abel, R29

October: Pick Up "Smoking"

The smoker's playbook may be filled with risky behavior, but there's one thing that puffers got right: exiting the building every few hours to light up. The frequent breaks are enough to make the rest of us jealous.

Instead of begrudging your co-workers need to quell an oncoming nic fit, why not join them? Rather than light up, use the 10 minutes to speed walk around the ... more 

Photo by: Designed by Naomi Abel, R29

October: Pick Up "Smoking"

The smoker's playbook may be filled with risky behavior, but there's one thing that puffers got right: exiting the building every few hours to light up. The frequent breaks are enough to make the rest of us jealous.

Instead of begrudging your co-workers need to quell an oncoming nic fit, why not join them? Rather than light up, use the 10 minutes to speed walk around the building or block. You'll come back just as calmed as your co-workers, and you will have burned about 60 calories as well. (Visit this walking calculator to see how many calories you will burn based on your weight and speed). What's more, if you fake two smoke breaks a day, five days a week, you'll burn about 2500 calories per month - and pave the way for a clearer mind when back in the cube as well. No ifs, ands, or butts about it.

Other office-time health boosts? Use the bathroom on another floor. This not only ensures that you climb a flight of stairs or two to reach the WC, but also helps avoid those chatty co-worker types who try to catch up when between the stalls. Finally, spark those frequent bathroom breaks by emptying (and refilling) your water bottle with frequency. Trips to the water cooler create another opportunity for movement, while providing a healthy heaping of hydration to boot.
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