3.31.18 – Get Your Rear Off Your Chair!

3.31.18 – Get Your Rear Off Your Chair!

We are all well aware of the health benefits of exercise – vigorous or otherwise. We try to keep our group class times, our dates with the running trail. But just as – or even more important – than traditional fitness – is plain and simple movement. I don’t know about you, but I can go for hours hunched in my office chair writing or entering data. Before I realize it, the day has flown by and I’ve lost circulation to my nether regions. This is bad. And it could be slowly killing me. Too much time in your chair increases health risks, such as heart disease, cancer, Type 2 diabetes and premature death.Worse, a 30-minute gym session after work won’t undo the damage caused by sitting all day.

To combat the health risks of prolonged sitting, experts suggest breaking up periods of sitting with small movements such as standing, stretching and walking. Here’s how to incorporate these movements in the workplace:

1. Stand Up – every 15 minutes if you can
2. Set Reminders – to stand up, to hydrate… use your Outlook calendar for good
3. Stretch – with simple hip bends, shoulder and back stretches to get blood flowing
4. Walk – go have a conversation with your colleague across the building instead of sending an email
5. Think Different – go small with quick bouts of standing, stretching and walking.

Don’t consider it “exercise” per se, consider it movement – and it’s essential for a healthy life.

The Flashfit app can break the sitting habit and easily integrate with and improve your existing employee wellness program. With hundreds of fast and fun one-minute exercises that don’t require any special equipment, your employees can get moving right in your office. And Flashfit will track and measure all employee all activity, so your organization can reach your wellness goals and work healthy. https://www.flash.fit/enterprises

Sources: US News, CDC