So many of us spend nearly our entire day sitting. We sit in our cars, sit at our desks all workday, and sit on the couch at home. Sitting makes us want to sit more – it’s the perfect example of inertia.
Last fall I moved jobs from a HUGE manufacturing facility where I could easily get 15,000 steps at work to a desk job where I was only getting maybe 2000. I realized I would need to be intentional to up my step game and move throughout the day! I’m here to share some ways you can, too.
Why?
A sedentary lifestyle increases your chances of cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, depression and tons of other health concerns. It can lead to poor posture and shortening of muscles, too. This mindbodygreen article covers more of the negative effects of too much sitting (btw I wrote about mbg in my Friday Five #4).
The good news is we can fight a sedentary lifestyle with an active one! This episode of the Model Health Show talks about the benefits of walking. Small amounts of walking and movement add up throughout the day.
This post will give you some ideas so you can get moving throughout the day. Your body will thank you! Let’s get to it.
Take a 5-minute walk every hour
Taking short breaks every hour helps with productivity. A little walk is a great way to take that break.
You can even get your fitness tracker to remind you. I can set my fitbit to tracker whether or not I’ve hit 250 steps every hour in a time range. It buzzes at 10 minutes before the hour to remind me if I haven’t.
Walk during conference calls or meetings
Especially when I don’t need to see the presentation or actively participate in the discussion, I try to walk during conference calls as often as possible. Scheduling walking meetings is another good way to get away from your desk.
Take the long route
To the bathroom. From the parking lot. To fill your water bottle. I work on the second floor of my building and sometimes pick a restroom downstairs or do a loop outside on my way. Those 100 extra steps add up throughout a 9 hour day!
Stretch throughout the day
This article has a ton of stretches you can do right at your desk.
Work out in the morning
I’m always more likely to make healthy choices throughout the day if I start my day with a workout. You’re just more likely to have the energy to keep it up, ya know?
Walk during your lunch break
If you don’t spend your whole lunch hour scrolling Instagram, I would venture to say you have time to eat your lunch AND fit in a little bit longer walk.
Don’t do it alone
Find an accountability buddy! This could be a coworker that you can take walks with or a friend you text throughout the day sharing your activities. Competition is a great motivator and accountability is key.
Some companies have groups that meet up during lunch or step challenges to join. My company has a challenge this month to hit 50,000 steps per week and they’re handing out prizes for those who complete it for all six weeks!
Sometimes all it takes is a small reminder or competition to get you out of your desk chair a little more movement throughout the day. I hope these tips help you fight the sedentary lifestyle of a desk job. Get movin’!
Do YOU sit at a desk all day?
How to you move throughout the workday? I’m always looking for new ideas!