5 ways to get more movement throughout the day

I’ve been sharing activity metrics with my oldest friend on my Apple Watch for a few months now, and it’s been an eye opener. Aside from the fact that he miraculously burns 700 calories in the same workout that I burn 315 (on a good day), he’s also good at standing, like every hour, when his watch tells him to. , to get the “credit”. Me on the other hand? It’s a work in progress – I’m often beholden to the demands of office life. But under its influence, I redoubled my efforts to gamify my day.

Within two months of making an effort to get up regularly, I noticed a noticeable increase in productivity. The breaks to move, which vary from laps around my kitchen island with a seltzer in hand to walking on the rooftop to get some fresh Brooklyn air, pushed me to do more.

But moving more throughout the day is not only on your to-do list. Too much sitting has been shown to increase the risk of diabetes, dementia, heart disease, and more.

“Your body needs to be active,” says personal trainer corey lewis, co-founder and CEO of 1and1 Life. “It was not designed to be sedentary, so it’s good to create opportunities throughout the workday to be active. This will help you maintain your body’s ability to stabilize, balance and coordination Also: help you get away from those random injuries that we encounter from inactive joints and muscles.

Other evidence on the benefits of regular motion (and the drawbacks of uninterrupted sitting) has been piling up for some time. One study 2018 published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed that those who sit for only three hours a day (compared to seven) are 33% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease. And if you really choose to enter exercise snacks? Good, research shows that three short bouts of exercise (about 12 minutes each) were more effective at lowering blood sugar — and keeping it lower for longer — than a 30-minute bout.

The benefits are clear. Here are five ways to actually incorporate it into your life:

1. Add movement to your ride

If you’re heading to the office these days, think about how you can add some walking to your commute to or from work. Instead, Lewis recommends getting up 30 minutes earlier, then using that extra half hour to add walking to your commute. “It doesn’t have to be the whole duration,” he adds. “Just consider getting off public transport half an hour before you stop work and take a few steps.” If you are driving, consider parking a little further away.

2. Do office mobility exercises

Every hour, try to move your body in a way that helps open your rib cage, recommends Austin-based performance coach Cristian Plascencia. “When our ribcage gets really locked up, it can lead to lower back issues,” he says. “It can be something as simple as reaching your arms up and behind your body, like making a snow angel. Continue this motion for a minute, then follow it up with a few neck circles.