phyncke

Here is the latest newsletter from this fitness challenge we are doing at work. I am finding these really useful and helpful. This one is about sitting and the sedentary lifestyle. Personally, one way I hit on this one is I have a stretch break program installed on my computer and I do stretches every 45 mins at my desk and get up and walk around at that time. It is important to move a bit during the day. I also have my workout schedule and one goal of mine is to get back into yoga, which has slipped lately.

So this is just for those who are interested. Cheers to all!

Move More, Live Better!

If there was ever a reason to get up and walk, here it is: Sitting Will Kill You.

And if you're thinking, "Isn't that a bit dramatic?", consider this - sitting for long periods of time contributes to living an overall sedentary lifestyle, whether your're sitting at work or during your daily commute or at home while relaxing and watching TV. Even for those of you who are able to achieve the 60 to 90 minutes of exercise most days of the week, spending long stretches of time sitting is still harmful. (continued behind the cut)

"How harmful?" you ask. Studies have shown a link between prolonged sitting and an increase in risks for obesity, metabolic diseases (diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension), and biomechanical problems (low back pain, decreased hip mobility).

While the jury's still out on just how long you can sit before it becomes detrimental, health experts agree that moving more is better than sitting more for any length of time, at any stage in life. And adding movement to your day is easy when you keep in mind how much good it will do you to get up off your seat.

So, as opposed to living a sedentary lifestyle, the idea is to live an active lifestyle, where you are spending most of your day moving around, whether by standing, walking, and taking the stairs... in addition to any exercise or workout that you engage in. Make it your goal to sit less and move more!

Here are some ideas to get you moving more throughout your day:
-Park in a spot furthest away from the door to your building. This allows you to add more walking time in your day to help make up for sitting at your desk for hours on end.
-When you are at your workstation talking on the phone, stand up or pace your office while talking.
-Choose to take the stairs instead of the elevator.
-If you find you're stuck at your desk due to your workload, make sure to take frequent breaks for 5 or 10 minutes to stand up, stretch, or take a walk around the block.
-Suggest a "walk and talk" instead of a sit-down meeting, or encourage everyone in the meeting to stand up for a few minutes before resuming again.
-Make sure to leave your workstation for lunch and walk somewhere to eat, even if you bring your lunch to work. Avoid spending your lunchtime at your desk.
-If you need to print a document, if possible, don't print it to the closest printer. Try to use a printer that is in another room; that way you are able to get up and walk around and stretch your legs.