How often do you get up during your day? Do you sit in a chair for more than 8 hours?

Sometimes we think heading to the gym after work will counteract our long hours of sitting. But many studies show that no matter how hard you work out in the evening, sitting at work all day makes your health nearly equivalent to the health of the average couch potato.

You can lift until your biceps are sore, run the treadmill until you fall over from exhaustion, and do crunches until you can barely breathe. While these activities are great for cardiovascular health, an overall sedentary lifestyle will still negatively affect you in the long run.

A 30-45 minute workout cannot outweigh 23 other hours of sitting or lying down. Your body gets used to staying in one place, comfortable doing nothing.

In order to break the cycle you need to accustom your body to constant movement.

As a manager or boss you can encourage a healthy, active workforce in a few ways. These small changes will help stimulate your blood circulation as well, which helps keep your energy high.

1. Make sure you stand up from your desk every 20 minutes
2. Have a walking meeting.
3. Walk to a local lunch shop instead of driving.
4. Figure out ways to get tasks done from a standing position.
5. Instead of IMing or emailing a coworker, walk to their desk.
6. When presenting at a meeting, stand up.

Every step you take, every move you make, is the perfect way to keep things moving ahead for your long term health.

For your workstation, we have some suggestions as well.

Consider our many sit-stand desks.

WorkFit-D is a pneumatic height adjustable desk at an attractive price point. With a 20” height adjustment, 65 lbs weight capacity and a large work surface, this desk is great for a variety of users. It has a minimum height of 30.6” and a maximum at 50.6”, and comes in three tabletop colors – walnut, gray and birch.

 

The Workrite Sierra HX line of desks is a serious ergonomic investment in your future. Available in a wide variety of laminate top colors and desktop shapes, this electric desk uses a small motor to move up and down.

Easily change between sitting and standing frequently and quickly so you can stay productive. These desks also have a hidden crossbar design that provides maximum knee clearance and becomes especially useful for tall users or users with long knees. (Most height adjustable desks on the market have a standard crossbar that obstructs knees.)

So stand up! Your body will thank you.

Do you workout? How do you keep your activity high while you work? Let us know in the comments!