Do you spend most of your day sitting in a chair, on a couch, or in a car? If you tend to sit more often than you stand and move, you may be increasing your risk for developing a myriad of serious health conditions. For instance, sedentary people face greater risks of succumbing to heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, and depression. Your odds of becoming obese also increase drastically if you sit for extended periods of time each day. Thankfully, regardless of their profession, most people can easily incorporate more standing and moving into their daily lives. The following 7 ways to avoid sitting all day are great places to start.
Walk to the Mailbox
If you have a mailbox at your home, do you casually drive up to it in order to retrieve your mail every day after work? Instead of driving to your mailbox each day, walk to it. Regardless of the distance, you will burn a few calories; and, you can enjoy the warm sunshine on your face in the process.
Stand Up While Talking on the Phone
Nowadays, the average American spends copious amounts of time talking on his or her phone each day. If you work in an office, one of your principal duties may be talking on the phone to customers. To improve your health and overall wellbeing, consider standing up every time you talk to someone on the phone. You may be surprised how many calories you can burn from standing an extra couple of hours each day. If you want to improve your health even more, consider walking around a room while conversing with someone on the phone.
Stand Up During Commercials
After a long day at the office, many people look forward to watching their favorite television programs at night. To add some activity to your nightly routine, stand up whenever commercials interrupt whatever you’re watching on television. Better yet, exercise during the commercials. Some great ideas include marching in place, doing push-ups, or working out with dumbbells.
Choose the Farthest Parking Spot
Whenever you arrive at your destination, do you circle the parking lot repeatedly in order to find the closest parking space to the front door? If you are guilty of this, you’re not alone. Instead of looking for the closest parking spot to a building’s entrance, strive to secure the farthest one. In accomplishing this task, you can walk several extra steps. In the process, you will burn calories, attain more energy, and feel better about yourself.
Walk During Your Lunch Break
If you get a whole hour’s break for lunch, consider walking for a few minutes before you eat. If you have a particularly stressful job, walking may calm you. Exercising before lunch may also cause you to consume less calories at mealtime.
Schedule a Walking Meeting
Do you and your colleagues usually schedule meetings in a conference room? Perhaps, you have most of your meetings at a favorite restaurant. Instead of these venues, consider opting for a walking meeting next time. Everyone can enjoy getting some exercise while planning next year’s budget, talking about last month’s revenue decrease, or conversing about some other business concern.
Skip the Takeout
If you dine out more often than you cook at home, you may want to consider reversing this trend. By preparing your own meals, you will add quite a bit of standing time to your day. You will need to stand in order to cook. After dinner, you can stand while washing the dishes.
The health risks associated with prolonged periods of sitting are undeniable. If you know you sit too much during the day, don’t lose hope. With some creativity, you can improve your routine and begin the journey to better health and happiness.
AllCare Pharmacy and Medical Supply is your neighborhood Salinas Pharmacy, you are welcome to stop in for a visit to meet the staff, pharmacists and see the great deals that will help you provide better healthcare for yourself and your loved ones.
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