Involuntary exercise: What it means and how it can harm you

The elevator in my office building has been out all week. Thus, with an office on the 4th floor, I have to walk up 3-4 flights of steps at least once a day. I can assure you that I would never voluntarily walk 4 flights of steps on any given day. So here we have an example of involuntary exercise.

Now the dangers of involuntary exercise. If I walk up 4 flights of steps, say, twice in one day. Technically I have sort of exercised, right? Add to that the fact that I walk a mile to and from work everyday. Two miles and eight flights of steps. Some might call that a workout. At least, some that do everything in their power to rationalize not working out.

Danger! See what just happened? I have burned no more than 20 calories with the aforementioned “exercise”, but I have convinced myself that I have worked out for the day. Now if this isn’t considered being injured on the job I don’t know what is. I’ve a mind to take some workers comp and buy myself a few sessions with a trainer.

My advice in any elevator outage, get someone to carry you up the stairs and don’t descend them again until work is over. Immediately after that, get your butt to the gym, because honey child, you got 4 days of bogus rationale to make up for!