A recent study seems to suggest that vigorous exercise does help in burning fat, but it also increases appetite.  Apparently, our body has a tendency to maintain our current weight, whatever it might be.  The key is apparently to burn calories on the sly, without triggering the compensating appetite.

So – in addition to standing around a lot as suggested by the article, consider the following three ways of sneaking exercise into our day by marrying mini-workouts with every day tasks:

Walk ‘n Talk

Turn your tete-a-tete with a colleague into a brisk walk.  You will amazed at how much walking you can get done.  You will be so engrossed in your discussion, you will forget you are actually exercising.

Bonus: if you work in an open plan area, going away for a walk will get you some privacy and some fresh air.  In Dubai, try to do these sessions early in the day for obvious weather reasons.

Brush ‘n Squat

Squats are some of the best all around exercises as they work several of the large muscle groups.  Doing squats while you brush your teeth means you can likely do roughly two sets of at least ten squats – especially if you brush your teeth for the full 3 minutes you’re supposed to.  Make sure you keep your back straight, and your knees are over your toes – never, ever beyond your toes.

Watch ‘n Dip

Tricep dips are easy to do while in front of the TV or YouTube  using the very chair you are sitting on, as long as it is not on wheels!  Make sure you keep your body close to the chair as you lower yourself down.

Tricep Dips from about.com

These are just three simple ways of easing into exercise without really committing to a regime, and sneakily burning calories without triggering your body’s compensation response.