It's known by most how bad sitting is for us and yet we continue to spend most of the hours of every day in a seated position. A lot of jobs have us sitting at a computer, we sit for lunch, we sit for dinner and then we sit on our couches. Hey, even a lot of gym equipment is set up so you can sit while you complete the moves! If you spend most of your time on your butt, then it's time to start making some changes - you'll not only save your health, you'll feel better overall! When we sit for prolonged periods, we actually change the shape of our muscles - so that tightness in your hips is from your hip flexors being in the same shortened position day in and day out. We also tend to sit improperly so our shoulders are hunched and our backs are slouched which leads to a strained neck and a sore back. Sitting also places our digestive organs in a scrunched position which can cause a lot of issues such as heart burn, bloating and constipation. I could go on, but I'll save you the lecture - this time! :)
Instead, I'll show you how you sit less throughout your day and start feeling better!
1. Park Far and Take the Stairs - This is an easy one and you can use it for more than just getting to and from work. Use it when you're visiting other buildings or the grocery store. Whenever you can, start parking further so you have a bit of a walk and whenever you have the option, always choose the stairs! These steps will add up quickly for better health. 2. Stand Up When You're on the Phone - Another one that you can use just about anywhere. If you're on a call for work or taking a personal call at home, stand up for the duration of the call. You'll be surprised how many times this can happen throughout your day. 3. Move During Commercials - You can snuggle up on the couch but break up that time by standing up during commercials. Earn bonus points for doing jumping jacks or another move for the duration of the commercials! 4. Rearrange Your Work Space - Most of us set up our work areas so common resources are an arms length away but you can get yourself standing more by rearranging that! Make it so that you have to stand up to get the things you need more often than not.
These tips are easy and simple to start using in your day. Which ones do you think you can make a habit?