“Sitting is the new smoking” says Dr. James Levine, who’s new study shows that sitting around for 6+ hours a day drives up blood pressure and raises your risk for diabetes, obesity, depression, and some types of cancer. Technology allows us to do almost everything from the comfort of a chair, so as a whole we sit more nowadays than ever before.
Think you’re out of danger if you go to the gym regularly? Think again: Most regular exercise simply isn’t enough to counteract the dangers of all the sitting we do. Americans average 9.5 hours on our collective butts per day. That’s a lot of “smoking!” I know I’m definitely guilty of that because I’m behind a desk all day long, then when I go home (after hitting the gym) I’m on my butt again relaxing before bed.
Luckily there’s an answer: NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis)…AKA getting up and moving around – at an easy pace – as often as possible, for as long as possible.
Even slow walking can more than double your metabolic rate compared with sitting, so you can see how being a little more active during your day can make a huge difference to your health.
The good news is there are lots of ways to sneak more easy, focus-building, non-sweaty NEAT into your life.
Here are a few:
1. Go mobile.
Whenever you’re on the phone, take it as an opportunity to walk—or at least stand. Most people feel and sound more engaged when they’re on their feet, so you’ll make a better impression on the phone if you’re up and about anyway.
2. Take a microbreak.
Take :30 second to 3-minute breaks for every 20 minutes you’re stuck behind your desk at work: Stretch, breathe, focus your eyes on a distant object, maybe even walk a lap around your office. You’ll come back to work refreshed and recommitted.
3. Steal a workout.
The farther you park away from the door to work or the store, the better. Take the stairs, not the elevator. If using public transportation, get off a stop before or after the one most convenient to your destination. Stay off the human conveyor belt at the airport too! Whenever there’s a choice—walk.
4. Go for Face Time (not the app).
Many people can go through their workday without ever actually interacting with their closest coworkers. If you have the time in your day, take the 3-minute break and go see your co-worker you were going to call/e-mail anyway.
5. Get less efficient.
Set up your work station so you have to reach for things rather than keeping them within an arm’s reach. Put the file cabinet and wastebasket a ways away so you have to walk over to them. Reaching, stretching, extending feel great, especially when you’ve been stuck in the chair all morning.
6. Include the family.
This applies to any fitness venture: a better diet, a more stringent workout program, a more active lifestyle. Don’t go it alone. Include your family and/or close friends as much as you can. Take a walk around the block instead of a trip to get fast food; play mini-golf instead of going to the movies; choose Twister instead of video games.
