Stand Up for Yourself. By this subject line, you may assume that I’m suggesting that you hold your ground, or speak up for yourself, or stop being a people pleaser.
However…I’m actually talking about…
Standing up for yourself and for your health!
STAND UP! Get out of your seat! Yep, it may seem like a silly suggestion, perhaps. Or trite, maybe. But, the truth is not funny or trite at all.
We are literally killing ourselves by sitting for too long.
SITTING IS THE NEW SMOKING
The statistics are staggering. Some of the negative effects of sitting include: increased chances of getting multiple types of cancer, type II diabetes, heart disease and more. Even more disturbing is that those of us who exercise regularly are equally at risk for these sitting-related, lifespan-shortening diseases! Read more about it here.
Luckily, there’s a very simple remedy for this — STAND UP! It’s time to replace our sitting habit with a new healthy habit. Get on your feet and walk or stand for one to three minutes every half hour while you’re at work.
Now, yo may be wondering how to integrate this new habit in a sustainable way?
Below are 4 suggestions for how to make standing up sustainable in your busy life (I especially love #2, especially when it’s sunny outside!).
1. Invest in a standing desk or treadmill desk so that you have no reason or temptation to get too comfortable in a seat.
2. Plan walking meetings where you can move and meet. Nilofer Merchant has become known for taking her meetings to the streets. Check out her 3 minute Ted Talk here.
3. Set reminders on your computer or phone so you don’t forget.
4. Partner with a colleague who wants to be your health partner, so you can stand up for and with each other.
What will you do, going forward, to stand up for yourself and for your health?
As always, I’d love to hear what changes you make and how it goes…!
