How to Stop Sitting So Much

How to Stop Sitting So Much

Sitting is the new smoking, as both increase your risk of heart disease and other health complications.

It’s easy to say ‘sit less’, and easy to find out how many minutes you should jog or lift weights for, but most of us can’t find that time in our otherwise sedentary days in the office or on the roads. A lot of us are busy, but that doesn’t mean we’re active.

To break up those long sedentary sessions, here are some simple ideas to get you moving:

How to Stop Sitting Too Much At Work

  • Get up every time you take a drink of water or coffee/tea
  • Stand up when the phone rings
  • Walk up and speak to co-workers in person, rather than calling or emailing them
  • Schedule small, regular intervals to do toe raises, squats, push-ups against the wall, and other office-friendly exercises
  • Use the toilet that’s furthest from your office

sitting-health-problems

How to Stop Sitting Too Much At Home

  • Relax with active activities, rather than sedentary ones
  • Go outside and play with your kids, or your dog/cat/other pet
  • Walk, stretch, squat, or lunge during television commercials
  • Do the same during TV credits
  • If you’re reading, get up and walk around when you finish a chapter for a few minutes
  • Set up the treadmill in front of the TV for a balance of exercise and entertainment

Related: Sitting Less at Work Will Help You Lose Weight

We all have cues to sit – think cozy chairs and couches – and we can create the same to stand or be less sedentary. For example, you can move your exercise equipment to a room you spend the majority of your time in. At work, you can propose walking meetings instead of traditional sit-down meetings. Spreading out a yoga mat at home or keeping weights in sight can also encourage more active habits.

Now that you’ve finished this article, get up and walk for a few minutes before reading another!

Photo Credit: Irina Strelnikova/Shutterstock.com; MSSA/Shutterstock.com

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