Sitting — we sit in the car, at our desk, the dinner table, and in front of the television. In fact, the average person sits more than eight hours per day. And that is bad news. Research shows that constant sitting significantly increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. The good news is you can stand up to obesity.
- Set an alarm. We can all get caught up in just sending one more email, making one more call, or drafting one more letter. By the time we look up, its lunch and we haven’t even left our desk. Set an alarm to go off every hour and spend at least one minute moving. Take a walk to the water cooler, a restroom break, or just stand up for a minute. This is a simple way to improve circulation, boost energy, and give your body a much needed break.
- Meet on the go. Who said meetings have to take place in a room. Try a walking meeting to boost creativity, productivity, and morale.
- Walking Lunch. Your lunch break is the perfect time to take a walk. Worried about not having time to eat? You could see health benefits from even a 10-minute walk.
- Stand up. An easy way to sit less is to stand during phone calls. Stand, walk in place, or do a bit of light stretching.
- Talk to your co-workers. Have a question for accounting? Need some advice from legal? Take a walk down the hall. It can be more productive than emailing back and forth.
- Use the far, far away printer. If you do a lot of printing, choose the printer farthest from your work area. This may only add a few steps to your trip, but every step counts.
- Eat smaller snacks. Instead of having one large lunch, enjoy three smaller snacks throughout the day at 10:30 AM, 1 PM, and 3:30 PM. Not only will this keep your energy level up all day, you will have to walk to the break room three times to get your food.
- Take the stairs. This is the easiest way to start and end your day with more movement. Don’t have stairs? Park farther away or walk if you can. Use any opportunity you can to add more movement to your day.
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This information is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be an exhaustive examination of the subject matter nor a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your primary care physician or healthcare provider before beginning any diet or exercise program.