3 Tips for Staying Healthy at Your Desk Job in Hillsboro

Too much sitting has been called “the new smoking”. It’s easy to see why. Long bouts of seated work are hard on health, impacting posture, heart, mind and more.  Hawthorn Farm Athletic Club’s hometown, Hillsboro, Oregon, is a booming industry hub with thousands of desk-bound employees. Are you one of them?

HFAC has so many amenities to stretch, strengthen, balance and restore. Whether you’re currently a member or considering membership, our team of professionals can help you find solutions that meet your needs. Consider these 3 easy tips to promote your health!

Tip #1 – Embrace “Exercise Snacks”

At HFAC we teach that small changes can have a big impact. Why not try “Exercise Snacks.” Exercise snacking is doing 1-2 minutes of movement every 30 minutes or so. It can be something as simple as finding a staircase to go up and down or doing tricep dips using your office chair. Pace and stretch during phone calls. Take a meeting with a coworker while you “snack” together on a walk. Need real, live inspiration? Try HFAC’s  HI/LO Fitness Class with Nancy. This class is full of fun and classic moves anyone can do anywhere!

Tip #2 – Snack Smarter

Exercise snacks are great but ACTUAL food snacks can be healthy too. 😉 At Hawthorn Farm we love snacking as much as the next club. We rarely recommend abstaining from snacks but focusing instead on mindful eating of nutritionally dense whole foods. The American Heart Association recommends trying to make healthier versions of packaged snacks at home so you can choose the ingredients. If you’re frustrated or in a snack rut, book an appointment with an HFAC personal trainer with a nutrition certification to develop a plan.

Tip #3 – Establish a Pre or Post Work Movement Ritual.

Create a workout routine by building off your workday structure. Hawthorn Farm Athletic Club has fitness trainers and group exercise classes available before and after work as well as a great lunch crowd. The feeling of accomplishment and proven increase in endorphins that exercise yields are second to none. It could be weight training, cardio, yoga, swimming or a stretching session in our dedicated and well-equipped stretching area. We have it all here at HFAC!

Being assigned to a desk can be fine! Just sprinkle in a little intentionality and some help from Hillsboro’s locally owned luxury athletic club, Hawthorn Farm.