Cubicle Cardio As many of us already know, a sedentary lifestyle is harmful to your health. The challenge is that most office jobs make people feel as though they are chained to their desk anywhere from six to ten hours a day!
Courtesy of The New York Times
"Over a lifetime, unhealthful effects of sitting add up. Alpa Patel, an epidemiologist at the American Cancer Society, tracked the health of 123,000 Americans between 1992 & 2006.
The men in the study who spent six hours or more per day of their leisure time sitting had an overall death rate that was about 20% higher than the men who sat for 3 hours or less.
The death rate for women who sat for more than six hours a day was about 40% higher. Patel estimates that on average, people who sit too much shave a few years off of their lives."
TEN tips to get moving at the office
·
STAND:
Modify your workstation so you can stand while typing e-mails and
talking on the phone. Stand whenever someone comes to your desk to talk.
·
WALK:
Instead of e-mailing that co-worker two floors up, walk up to their office
and have a face-to-face conversation.
·
DRINK:
Drink
more water! Keep a refillable water bottle at your desk. Trips to the bathroom
& trips to refill at the water fountain will get you moving!
·
ALARM:
Set an alarm to remind you throughout the day to take an activity
break. (For example: Every two hours,
spend 10 min walking & stretching)
·
PARK:
Park further from your building everyday. Stop wasting time ‘shopping’ for
closer parking. Put it in park and WALK to the building.
·
STEP:
Take the stairs. Every chance you get! Eliminating elevators & escalators
from your daily routine will build cardio & endurance.
·
LUNCH:
Dedicate 10-15min of your lunch hour to getting moving. Walk the stairs, do laps around
the office, walk around the block, options are endless!!
·
BUDDY:
Find a ‘fit buddy’ in your office to help each other move more each day. Having
a partner adds a layer of support & accountability.
·
STRETCH:
Make an effort to stand and stretch every hour right at your
desk. Do neck rolls, torso twists, touch your toes, arm circles, knees raises…
·
MOVE:
Move
your printer, fax, copier, trashcan, phone further away. Every single step
counts, so add steps to your routine office treks.
