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Work out at work

DESK FITNESS: Working out after or before work not working out? Make your desk a gym, says the Mayo Health Clinic.

Some ways to incorporate exercise into office life:

— When you need to talk to a co-worker, walk to other desks and offices rather than calling or instant-messaging.

— Use a fitness ball in place of a regular desk chair.

— When walking to and from work — or at any time in your day — move quickly.

— Instead of going on a coffee break, take a "fitness break." Go on a walk, do stretches or easy muscle-building exercises with equipment you can store in your desk, such as resistance bands or small hand weights.

— See if you can find others who want to increase their activity level to join you on a lunchtime stroll. Regularly-scheduled exercise with a group makes you more likely to stay involved, the Mayo Clinic says, and is also a nice social opportunity.

— Stand, don't sit! Just getting up burns more calories than if you remain seated for hours at a stretch.

— Make your commute an opportunity to move. Bike to work if possible, or get off public transportation before your final destination and hike the rest of the way. If driving, park as far away as is reasonable. And, of course, take the stairs.

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MONEY TALKS: Wait until your second face-to-face talk with a potential employer before broaching the money question, said recruiting specialist Brett Good.

Good, who works for staffing company Robert Half International Inc., said the interviewer should launch the compensation topic, but if by the end of a second in-person interview, salary hasn't been addressed, a potential hire should ask about it, partly in order to gauge his chances with the company.

"You're not talking about dollars unless you're genuinely interested in bringing the person on board," Good said.

He recommends initiating the discussion with a "range of compensation" that would be acceptable, and working out the details later. Don't be premature with money talk, don't fixate on it, and don't be aggressive in demanding a certain salary before building a rapport with a company, he said.