We’ve all heard that sitting is the new smoking but not everyone has access to a standing desk or even work at an office.   Here are a few ways to disrupt the sit and do your health a solid.

At Work

• Get up and move after clearing your inbox.
• Set your phone timer for 30 minutes and when it goes off take a lap around the office or take a few flights down or up.
• After you eat lunch, take a 5-10 minute walk.
• Walk to your colleague’s office to deliver a message or have an actual (gasp) conversation then follow up with an email.
• Place your phone at the other end of your office.  When you get a notification you have to get up.

Pro Tip:  If you do have a standing desk make sure that you’re ergonomically sound.  Your weight should be distributed evenly between your feet, shoulders should be back, your head relaxed and “floating” over your neck, not jutting forward.  Finally, make sure you aren’t dropping into one side of your body.

At Home

• When folding laundry sit on the floor in a cross-legged position for a gentle hip opener.  Alternate the leg on top every few minutes.
• If you like to watch tv to unwind (no judgement, I love tv), lay your yoga mat on the floor and engage in some gentle moves while the Real Housewives of wherever do battle over whatever.
• If you spend your evenings on the computer catching up with FB, personal emails or paying bills,  set a timer for 15 minutes and get up and move around for a minute or two.
• Keep your water bottle close but not next to you.  When you get up to take a drink, do a full body stretch.
• When applying makeup, doing your hair or doing the dishes, add in a few heel lifts to attend to our calf muscles.  They bear a huge burden on the daily and we can never stretch them enough.

Pro Tip:  Keep your fitness tools handy.  I keep a basket in my bedroom with a few mats, a band and my foam roller in there so it I don’t have to dig in my closet when I need to take a stretch break.  Because  if it’s not easily accessible, you may as well not even have it.

Test-drive out one or two of these tips and let me know how they work.  And please share what you’re doing to get off your butt during the day.

Now go run!

Keli 🙂