The Sitting Disease

I think we can all agree that sitting too much is bad for us. But I can't shake thinking about an article I read in Runner's World a few months ago called "Sitting is the New Smoking- Even for Runners" It was an incredibly eye-opening article, and I encourage everyone to read it. Basically, it explains that even runners or people who are active for 60 minutes a day are still at risk for sitting disease if they are sedentary for more than 3 hours a day.

I work in an office where I am seated at a desk all day. I can't help but think that my hours of sitting is largely the cause of my (unwanted) weight gain over the past year. The biggest problem for me is that while I hate sitting all day, I also find myself getting lazy and not wanting to get up and take breaks. I push off running errands and instead sit at my desk for hours at a time. I wish I had a standing desk, but that's not an option for now, so instead I needed to come up with a game plan. This is what I came up with:

Sarah's Beat the Seat Challenge:

• Get up for at least 60 seconds every hour
• Stretch 3 times an hour (stretch out legs under desk, twist in chair, reach over head)
• Go for one 5 minute walk (or longer) a day
• Always take the stairs
• If you find yourself alone in a room do 10 jumping jacks, 10 push-ups, or 10 squats (or all 3)
• Drink at least 5 cups of water at work (which will lead to more bathroom breaks)
• Focus on better posture (I'm really tempted to buy a Back Joy has anyone tried one?)

Do you have any tips or tricks that you use to stay active throughout your day? I'd love to hear them!