No sitting! Bouncing, walking or planking preferred.

Sitting, no bueno!

My new obsession is finding ways to move at work, finding ways to not sit.

I have a desk job. This means from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m, I sit, at a desk, behind a computer. Many of you also sit behind a desk for eight hours or more each day, and understand the itch to move, activate muscles and break the stillness of sitting. 

This feeling of needing to move and stretch is new to me.  Until six months ago, I needed to sit.  My daily life consisted of teaching fitness classes, teaching writing classes, doing errands, chasing after my kids, and keeping up with the never ending household chores.  The day would go by, and I would realize sitting with my family at dinner was the first time I sat all day.

Now that’s changed with my desk job (except the household chores, they’ll always be there, like death and taxes).  In addition to needing to chase away the stiffness in my joints that comes with prolonged sitting, I’ve read too many articles about the dangers of sitting: it shortens life span, it contributes to heart disease, weight gain, diabetes, and a long list of other diseases ailments. While I workout each day and value health and fitness, the articles and experts say a one hour workout won’t prevent the negative effects of long-term sitting. 

Bouncy chair

The first change I made? Replacing my chair with a fitness ball.  It looks odd to anyone walking in my office, but I feel it in my core.  While the benefits may be small, sitting on that ball makes me aware of my posture, and I sit straighter. Sometimes, I get a good bounce going which means I'm moving while I'm sitting! I considered a standing desk to alternate with my fitness ball, but the lofty prices of standing desks, takes the option out of my budget. 

Take a walk or a lap

I could take a walk outside, along with all the benefits of fresh air and being in nature, but I live in Central Pennsylvania with about four months of winter. This winter, below freezing temperatures, snow, and ice make going outside a bleak option. I’ll save that for the other three seasons.

Luckily I work in a long building with three floors and a basement.  Why “luckily?” I set the alarm on my phone to go off every hour and a half.  I get up from my fitness ball and walk from my office, at one end of the building, to the other end, down to the basement and up three floors.  The whole “lap” takes me about five minutes.  I move quickly through the building and up the stairs.  By the time I return to my desk, my heart is pumping, and I feel energized. My eyes have lost the glazed over look from staring at the computer screen, and I’m sitting a bit straighter. Have you ever climbed three flights of stairs quickly? Try it. It causes a refreshed, awake feeling. My goal? Do complete this “lap” four times a day.  I’ve only made it to three so far. This isn’t enough for me. 

30-Day Plank Challenge

My office mates and I, all concerned about this sitting thing, decided to take on a plank challenge. 

Every day we do the plank all together.  We started at 30 seconds, and we’re trying to make it to five minutes.  We took a break, but now we’re starting up again. We’re determined to make it to five minutes!

Just keep moving

This is how I try to break up the eight to nine hours of sitting in my day.  I’m obsessed with it!  Today, I even bought a fitness tracker, so I can monitor my steps during the day. My goals are to complete four building laps a day and a five minute plank, along with the daily recommended 10,000 steps.  

Now I’ve been sitting here typing away long enough. Time to get up, stretch and get moving!