Obesity is a serious epidemic in this country and with more and more people opting to work from home the number of overweight individuals is only going to increase.
Obesity brings on a myriad of health issues, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, bone and joint issues, circulatory problems, not to mention serious psychological effects. It is imperative that those of us who choose to work from home incorporate movement into our daily routine.
There are new studies surfacing everywhere that show even if you get regular exercise sitting too much is just bad for you. Scary news for those who work from a desk!
Hell, I work from my desk, recliner, bed and anywhere else I may find some peace and quiet. I personally never realized just how detrimental it was to your health. I just assumed if you eat healthy and exercise regularly that resting and not working your body too hard was good for you- boy was I wrong!
It has been proven that sitting three or more hours per day can shave two years off your life. WOW! I have been sitting more than that for many years now.
Lately, I have been more proactive about moving around throughout the day. Babysitting my two toddler grandbabies definitely makes that feat easier. I’m always chasing one of them away from something!
I have always LOVED vacuuming (just one of my many compulsive disorders), so I have made sure to increase my daily vacuum time to at least 15 minutes.
Along with my other daily chores, I easily spend an hour doing housework. Another good thing for me is my bedroom is upstairs. I usually make several trips up and down throughout the day.
Doctors can’t seem to agree on an exact time frame, but most agree that you should not sit for more than 30 minutes at a time. Even with all the things I have listed above I still need tons of improvement and I’m sure most readers are in the same boat.
I have compiled a list of tips to get you up off your tush more often. I hope you find something on the list to get that blood pumping!
- Standing desks are becoming the new thing, but my feet are hurting just thinking about it
- Normal people take breaks to sit, but we need to take standing breaks
- If you watch TV while working, use each commercial break as a time to get up, stretch and walk around
- Take a brisk walk around the block on your lunch break
- If you are able to +work outside whenever possible, the fresh air is just good for the body in general
- Make a trip to the mailbox
- Move things like staples, paper clips, trash cans, etc. to the other side of the room so you must get up when needed
- Use a smaller coffee cup or glass so it will need to be refilled more often
- Drink more water throughout the day. Water makes the blood flow better and the frequent trips to the bathroom are good exercise
- Get an exercise ball chair – I had no idea these even existed, but the results are supposed to be amazing
- If you listen to the radio while working don’t be afraid to jump up and shake that booty when your favorite song comes on
Lisa Crow contributed to this article. She is a travel writer and lifestyle blogger based in Waco, Texas. Lisa is the Head of Content at Gigi’s Ramblings and L&S Freelance Writers. She spends her free time traveling when she can and making memories with her large family that consists of six children and eight grandchildren.
