Use simple exercises to stay active at work

Prolonged sitting causes a long list of unhealthy problems. Simply being aware of your activity level is the first step to getting more movement into your day. We'll give you a few suggestions that will help.

• At minimum, you should stand up, stretch and (if possible) take a walk around the floor for a minute or two every hour.
• Better still, just 10 minutes of brisk walking could lower your blood sugar and will burn about 50 calories.
• Instead of chatting with co-workers after you're done eating, slip on your workout shoes and invite them to join you for a brisk walk around the building. If the weather's bad, walk up and down the office stairs.

• While stopped at a red light, grasp the bottom of the steering wheel with your palms up. Inhale and then, while exhaling, push up on the wheel with your palms as hard as you can. Hold while breathing normally until the light turns green.
• This exercise works the biceps, the primary load-bearing muscles of the arms.
• Worried about your steering wheel? Then just put your hands together and push as hard as you can. This works out many of the same muscles.

• While stopped at a red light or stop sign, take a deep breath through your mouth, dropping your diaphragm so your stomach pushes out. While exhaling, squeeze your abdominal muscles so your back presses into the car seat. (Imagine that a hook around your spine is pulling you back.) Hold for up to 60 seconds while breathing normally.
• This exercise improves posture and tones the gut to support your back and make you look slimmer.
• There are other moves you can make as well: carefully turning and stretching your neck, putting your hand on your upper back and moving it as far down your back as possible, rolling your ankles. Even little moves like these strengthen muscles and keep blood flowing.

When looking to squeeze more activity into your day, there's one main thing you need to do: get creative! Use these exercises during your commute, on your lunch break, or any time you have a minute to spare. Use your imagination and get your co workers involved too! Being more mobile benefits everyone, and will boost your health, your energy, and your productivity.