Make a stand for your own health by adding light activity to your workday
Sitting is the new smoking, or at least that’s the catchphrase of the year! It seems like everywhere you turn people are talking about the dangers of sitting. So why is sitting getting such a bad rap? Basically, if you are sitting for long periods of time, you are typically not participating in physical activity, which helps keep you healthy.
Our friends at the American Diabetes Association recommend that everyone limit the amount of time they spend sitting as an effective way to prevent type 2 diabetes and other obesity-related illness. They recommend it so strongly they have a day devoted to it!
Easy ways to add activity to your day
So you may be thinking: I’m at work, I have my commute, I have obligations at home. I don’t have time to be active. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed. Start by finding small ways to add activity into your day and avoid long bouts of office sitting:
- Stand or march in place during phone calls
- Flex and relax your core muscles while sitting or driving
- Use the stairs
- Go get a healthy snack at work and mingle with your friends or co-workers
- Get up from your desk to to go to the water cooler or coffee keg
- Do squats while cooking dinner
- Do heel raises while in line, waiting for the train or at your kid’s t-ball practice
You got this!
