Today I was sitting in the office and my legs started to go numb. Immediately I was reminded of the harm and damage just sitting does everyday to us. Researchers have found that sitting for eight or more hours a day can be deadly. Luckily, researchers have also found that breaking up the time spent sitting with a five minute walk, can help negate the effect of prolonged sitting. Now I’m realistic, you cannot walk around the office aimlessly for five minutes two or three (or sometimes four if you’re a lawyer) times a day without raising eyebrows.
My solution? Over the last year I’ve decided to take the stairs whenever possible, all 20 floors of them – up and down. Walking down the stairs does not seem so bad, but when it’s time to go up . . . whew. No matter how in shape I am it always gets to me. And the best part? It only takes about 10 minutes to walk all the way down and back up. If you have extra time, you can walk around the block before heading back up. Something so simple, but it makes a big difference.
Keep some tennis shoes or flats in your office so you don’t destroy your feet. Grab some of your colleagues and make a team building session out of it. If you’re heading out for coffee you can at least take the stairs on the way out. Taking the stairs option over the simple elevator can help burn some additional calories during the day, get your heart rate up, negate the effect of sitting all day, and improve your outlook. What do you have to lose?
