We’ve written before about the critical importance to your health of not spending too much time sitting every day.
A recent study compared a group of transit drivers who sit all day to a group of guards who walk all day. The two groups had very similar diets and lifestyles other than the amount they sat or walked in a day. However, the group that sat all day were twice as likely to get heart disease.
Studies also show people who sit all day have a far higher risk of diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
Surprisingly, studies have also learned that movement is far more beneficial to weight loss than exercise is. People who move all day but get no exercise do better than those who sit all day and exercise for 30 to 60 minutes.
If your job requires you to sit at a desk all day, what can you do? Well there are some ways you can still get a fair amount of movement during any day.
Here are some ideas:
1. If you can afford it, get a standing desk — one you can raise and lower for flexibility.
2. Instead of sitting while you talk on the phone, “walk while you talk” — just around your desk or office area. Or if you can’t walk around, just stand by your desk.
3. We urge caution on this one and urge anyone who doesn't have great balance NOT to try it, switching your desk chair for an exercise ball (even if just for an hour or two a day) is not only good for your “core” but the fidgeting you do while sitting on it counts as movement and does provide the benefits of movement.
4. We’ve written before about fidgeting having been found good for your health… any movement is. Mayo Clinic found it can result in up to 30 lbs lost in a year.
5. Take a walk during your lunch break (work up to 1 or 2 miles is suggested).
6.Take the stairs at work and park at the back of the lot.
We hope you get in the mood to move, and to keep moving!