According to a recent report on National Public Radio, researchers are beginning to suspect that even if you engage in regular exercise daily, it may not be enough to counteract the effects of too much sitting during the rest of the day. That’s the bad news for most office-bound Americans, who sit for eight hours or more a day at their desks, followed by continued sedentary activity after work.
The good news is that even us cubicle-dwellers can counter our inertia by incorporating hourly breaks in our day, taking the stairs instead of the elevator or sitting on a core-engaging exercise ball instead of a desk chair. Even having everyone stand during meetings instead of sitting can help (and likely would make for shorter meetings!).
If you want to really put a work-out in your work, a walking workstation – like the one in the DMU wellness center – is the way to go. NPR notes this “health-chair reform” is gaining traction at many organizations.
How do you engage in physical activity when you’re chained to your chair?
