Sit less move more

29 Aug Sit less move more

This week, we’re talking about ways to move more during the workday. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has a wonderful educational piece on the topic here. Something that jumped off the page to me, that I hope you find helpful is this, “The phrase ‘sedentary behavior’ comes from the Latin word ‘sedere,’ which means, ‘to sit.’ Although the human body is made to be in frequent motion, people can sit for many hours at a time, day after day. Sedentary behavior is not simply the absence of physical activity, but rather a unique set of behaviors that have negative effects on health.”

Wow, right?! Now, I’ll never look at the word “sedentary” the same. ACSM takes things a step further by sharing practical ideas to increase movement at work and even at home. 

Get Active Action Plan Ideas for Work 

1. Take a walk break every time you take a coffee or tea break. 
2. Do some leisurely walking with colleagues after you eat lunch together . 
3. Stand up and move whenever you have a drink of water. 
4. Whenever possible stand up as opposed to sitting down. 
5. Stand up and talk on business phone conversations. 
6. Stop at the park on your way home from work and take a walk. 
7. Walk to a co-worker’s desk instead of emailing or calling her/him.
8. Walk briskly when headed to meetings. 
9. Take the stairs whenever you can. 
10. Take the long route to the restroom. 
11. Schedule walking meetings with colleagues. 
12. Schedule short breaks into your electronic calendar as reminders to move. 
13. Every 45 min-1 hour, do some squats, lunges, upper body stretches, shoulder rolls. 

And if this is not enough – guess what? There’s more! Have you heard of Deskercise? Yes, it’s a real thing. Check out their Deskercise guide here. They even challenge you to choose two exercises to perform at least twice during your workout day. 

You can do it! Have a great week!

By Victoria Emmitt RD