At-work exercises?

Okay, so if you are like a ton of office workers, you spend about 8 hours a day in your chair. I don't care how ergonomic your set-up is, you're immobile and settling into a groove. Weight gain happens just from the lack of daily non-strenuous exercise (walking at UMass). I've looked at a bunch of different at-work exercise tips (this meaning at my desk and not in the at-work gyms).

I disagree with some of these and I truly believe that the people who write these have never worked in an office. Unless you have an office with no windows and a closed door, you can't run in place or jump rope or do constant sit-stand-sit-stand while on a phone call without looking like a total nut case.

• Exercise ball (yoga ball) - this would be great! I brought one to work which I thought would help with back pain from sitting in a chair and help tighten up some muscles. Unfortunately, this was a hand-me-down so I didn't have the air pump. It had let out a little air over the years and caused more pain than the chair. It disappeared into an empty cube, only to appear at the new building when a coworker "saved" it for me. Now it sits in my home office taking up space.
• As cool as it would be, it's highly impractical to have a treadmill at work. You've probably seen pictures of it on stumbleupon, and some sites will tell you it's the best! but let's be real. How do you get the treadmill to your desk? I don't know about you, but my cube isn't big enough for one. I would also be standing higher than the cubes. It would be so loud that no one could work. Uhm, eventually you'll get sweaty or tired. I'd feel gross or like I was being judged based on how long I was on it. Also, why wouldn't I just do that when I got home instead?
• Stretching - YES. This I totally agree with. It won't cause weight loss, but it will keep you from walking like an old man at age 22. I frequently crack my back (sometimes without trying) and stretch regularly (and subtly).

Stretch your neck by rolling it in a circle and then moving side to side.

When you yawn, stretch your arms out in front of you (and above your head if you're feeling risky).

Lift your feet off the floor and rotate your ankles.

Move your torso so it's facing the back of your chair as if you're cracking your back.

Push one shoulder forward and then switch.

Upon standing, arch your back and put your arms out at your sides.

You can even do some stretching in the bathroom stall.

• Walk at lunch. A lot of offices have walking trails or at least nice sidewalks around the property. Admittedly, I don't do this often at all. I usually do what nearly everyone else does, walk to the very close kitchen, heat up my lunch, and sit back at my cube surfing the web.
• Drink tons of water. Bring a nalgene or similar water bottle and fill it often. It'll help flush your system and will force you to get up more often to walk to the bathroom. If possible, take a roundabout way to and from the bathroom.
• Bring healthy snacks. Sitting in the same spot will make you tired so your body will tell you you're hungry so you can gain more energy from food even though you're sitting idly. Bring fruits and veggies or graham crackers, trail mix, etc to much on instead of pop tarts, cookies, etc.

That's it for now!