Like most Americans, I work in an office. I sit on my bottom the majority of the day. I hate it. I hate the blank stares at the computer screen, I hate the cramps my legs get from my end-of-its-life chair, and I hate the exhausted feeling that overtakes me when I walk into my home.

I want to be active after work. I really do. But I just feel drained, both physically and mentally, and want nothing more than to cook dinner with Mark and watch some TV with my sweet dachshund, Iggy, in my lap. I admire those 5-day-a-week runners and those happy cyclists, but I don’t believe I’ll ever be one.

There are days I love (ok, like) my job. I’m lucky. I graduated from college in 2006 and landed a full-time job in 2007. My employer pays my health insurance, I’ve received merit raises each year they’ve been given, and my bosses don’t micromanage me to the point of paranoia.

I really, really, really am lucky (daily mantra).

On the other hand, I sit in a giant box inside of a giant hangar located on a WWII-era former air force base. I barely know any of my 1,500 “coworkers” because everybody is so reliant on e-mails instead of actual human interaction. I’m rarely challenged or stimulated mentally. Like I said, I am drained.

I’m lucky to have the freedom to leave my desk, which, believe me, I do on every possible occasion. For starters, my office is quite a walk from the parking lot. The bathroom is a good distance, too. I also frequently check the company mail—across the facility—and I routinely take documents to various offices.

I fill one of these bad boys twice daily with good ol’ H₂O, with the goal of walking to the bathroom every hour or so. This might seem ridiculous, but it’s a good way to get out of my desk (and prevent constant snacking!). Sometimes I’ll even walk the perimeter of the hangar rather than walk straight back to my desk.

Thankfully, I have this beautiful park just down the street where I’ll sometimes spend 30 or so minutes walking during my lunch break. It’s calming—especially now that the weather is cool—and it’s a way to clear my mind and move like a human is supposed to.

But is it enough?

I have fairly healthy habits—I eat my veggies (not fast food and microwave dinners like some), I don’t smoke, and I don’t drink in excess—but I feel like my means of earning a living is chopping the years off my life!

In a fantasy world, I would have this.

But, in the real world, I’m stuck with this.

I guess I’ll continue my lunch break walks, my hourly strolls, healthy meals, and whatever else I can manage.

What are some of the ways you stay active at an office job?

Any “cubicle exercise” tips?