Sitting is the New Smoking -

Sitting is the New Smoking

Imagine a typical day in the office, answering emails and phone calls, trying to reduce your list. Your brain moves from one topic to another almost as fast as your fingers on the keyboard. Unfortunately, the rest of your body does not do much traveling. If you sit at a desk all day like many other people who work hard, you may be more at risk for certain diseases.

Sitting is the new smoking. Sitting at a desk for most of the 40 hours (or more) work week can actually shorten your life. Sedentary behavior is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, both preventable conditions. Fortunately, there are ways to increase activity during your work day!

Each time, get up from your chair and walk a little every so often and take a minute to stretch. Set an alarm on your computer or your phone to remind you to get up, use a pedometer to track your steps start to work, take the stairs instead of the elevator, walking schedule a meeting, or trying a permanent office . Practice these tips to improve your heart health! Also, be aware of your posture throughout the day. When at your desk, set up your computer, mouse and keyboard so you're sitting right with a healthy posture with your elbows close to your body and wrists straight.

Did you know?

• According to the CDC, office workers spend 65% to 75% of their working day sitting
• 1 every 3 employees is obese (BMI 30 or more) and another 40 percent are overweight
• according to the American Heart Association, sedentary jobs have increased 83% since 1950.
• the average work week is about 47 hours, making 350 extra hours per year.

Deskercise - Tips for staying active in your office

1. Twinkle Toe -. quickly type your toes on the floor under your desk
2. patient printer - do calf pending documents
3. The stapler Curl -. keep your stapler in one hand and work those biceps! Repeat for 12-15 reps
4. The Shoulder Shrug -. Bring your shoulders up to your ears and hold for 5 seconds. Repeat for 12-15 reps
5. The Squeeze Fab Abs -. Tighten your abdominal muscles for 5-10 seconds, then release. Repeat for 12-15 reps

More deskercise ideas

Sources:.! American Heart Association, Huffington Post, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, LifeWork EAP strategies and Adventist HealthCare. The Health Council of the week is for educational purposes. For medical advice, consult your doctor. Feel free to copy

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