FitSugar

Sit All Day? You Can Still Be Healthy

FitSugar — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 03:00:00 PDT

Let's face it: most of us are more sedentary than we want to be. We're desk-bound at the office, and sitting during our commutes. All this sitting is not exactly the best for your body. Not moving around translates to fewer calories burned throughout the day, which can lead to unhealthy weight gain. Sitting for more than eight hours a day can also cause back pain, a tense neck and shoulders, and leg cramps. Sixwise offers some tips on keeping your body and mind healthy while on the job.

Check your posture and your desk set-up. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor, and if you type at a keyboard, your hands, wrists, and forearms should also be parallel to the floor. Make sure your chair is padded yet firm, so the natural curve in your spine is supported and you're not sinking into your seat.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a big office buzz word, so you want to work on preventing this and other injuries by avoiding repetitive motions. If you use a mouse, purchase a new one that places your hand and wrist in a different position (like a vertical mouse). Try to rearrange the things on your desk often, like your coffee cup or your pens, so you have to reach for them with a different hand.
Just because you sit at a desk all day doesn't mean you're glued to your seat. Be sure to stand up and move around every 20 minutes or so, for at least 30 seconds. Do some desk stretches, take a walk to visit your co-worker, or go to the kitchen to refill your glass of water. Not only will this circulate blood to your muscles, but it'll also prevent boredom.

For more desk tips,

Earn More Money By Changing Up Your Office Space

LearnVest — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:15:07 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Most of us spend about 40 hours per week at work - in other words, the majority of our waking hours.

And nearly all of those hours are spent sitting at our desks. It’s a definite problem - and not just because we’re missing happy hour or quality couch time at home.

There’s no shortage of discouraging research pointing out the evils of a sedentary lifestyle and claiming that sitting will actually shorten our lives.

But, conversely, making a few tweaks to the way you sit - and the space you sit in - all day has been proven to make you a happier, healthier worker, busy earning your killer salary.

And, scientists say, the happier you are, the more you tend to earn.

In an effort to make the time spent at our desks as productive (and as profitable) as possible, we’ve combed the research for the easiest, most effective tips to soothe your mind and body when trapped in a cubicle . . . or corner office.

Just follow these four steps.

1. Make It Comfy

When we say “comfy,” we mean “ergonomic.” It’s an unfriendly word for a friendly concept: basically it means “intended to provide optimum comfort and to avoid stress or injury.” Friendly, right? Besides, an awkward workspace can lead to major health issues, including disorders in your joints or tendons, so a little tweaking of your cubicle can go a long way for your well-being. Line up your body correctly by following these two principles:

Your feet should be flat on the floor and your elbows should be even with your desk. This can be achieved either through adjustable chairs or - if chairs are a hot commodity at your office - a combination of step stools and pillows.

Read on for more tips.

11 Rules to Dramatically Increase Your Productivity

Wise Bread — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:35:04 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Wise Bread story here on Savvy!

There's a problem with a lot of productivity advice out there, and it's this - your "rules" for personal productivity are often going to be different than mine. Sure, sometimes there's overlap. Sure, you can always learn from others.

But if you want to see a dramatic increase in your productivity, spend less time reading and memorizing other people's rules, and more time figuring out what your own rules are. You'll be more productive and in a way that works with who you are.

So I'm sharing a few of my personal productivity rules. Maybe some of them will work for you or inspire you to think of your own.

1. Small Daily Movements Become Big Accomplishments

I tend to think that I must have big blocks of time in order to get any forward movement. So I hesitate and procrastinate, waiting for that "open time" when I can really push and get a lot done on whatever the current project is.

Turns out, that's a waste of time. Small daily movements add up. It's just that the movements or steps themselves are so small, I think they don't count. They do.

I have to constantly remind myself that I don't need a whole day or a whole week to devote to some project. I just need to take the 10 or 20 minutes I have here and there and use them. I need to achieve a little bit of forward movement every day. That adds up, and it builds momentum, and pretty soon there's been quite a lot accomplished.

For more rules, read after the jump.

Hold It! That's What One Teacher Is Telling Students

Rebecca M Gruber — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:40:49 PST

How long can your child hold it? If she's in Stephanie Warner's class at a Brooklyn elementary school, let's hope she can hold it for a while!

The fifth-grade teacher has enacted a new policy to keep kids sitting at their desks and out of the bathroom. At the start of each week, the teacher hands out three bathroom passes to each student in the class. The kids then have three windows throughout the day during which they can use the vouchers to visit the restroom. If the tots still have their passes at the end of the week, they can trade them in for small prizes like pencils and erasers. According to one of the students, the teacher started the new program "because some kids just go for fun. They just want to skip class."

Though New York public schools do not have a bathroom limit policy, parents are up in arms complaining that their children's health - bladder infections and more - is at stake. The school's principal has put an end to the program following the uproar, but I want to know - do you agree with the teacher's reasoning behind instituting the policy?

6 Ways to Sit Less Every Day

Health — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:03:42 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

By Sarah Kehoe

Need help being less sedentary? Here are the best ways to sit less and move more, from easiest to hardest.

Pace on the phone
Invest in a two-way speakerphone, a superlong phone-to-ear cord, or a quality headset so you can be more mobile while you chat.

Even if you simply stand while on the phone, you'll naturally shift from leg to leg.

Health.com: Little Ways to Lose Big Pounds

Putter after eating
Or take a quick walk postmeals. The fat levels in your bloodstream are highest after eating, and simply moving around afterward increases the activity of lipoprotein lipase, which spurs your metabolism.

Opt for bar seats at restaurants
Sit on the front third of the bar stool. Spread your feet just wider than hip distance, so they're supporting a fair bit of your weight, and gently roll your hips forward, arching your back slightly.

This position is called "perching" - it maintains an S-shape in your spine and distributes your weight more evenly.

Health.com: 20 Ways to Torch 200 Calories

Leave the seat at home
Whether you're going to a concert, tailgate, or park, don't bring a chair.

You'll find that if you don't have one, you stand the whole time or naturally move back and forth between your blanket and standing, says Marc Hamilton, PhD, a microbiologist at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center.

More suggestions for giving up the chair after the break.

8 Ways to Prevent Getting Sick at Work

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:47:24 PST

If you work in an office full of people, your chances of coming in contact with germs are that much higher. Arm yourself against colds, the flu, and stomach bugs with these essential tips.

Wash hands often and keep hand sanitizer on your desk.
Once a week disinfect the things you touch regularly including your keyboard, mouse, phone, pens, stapler, scissors, and even the outside of your reusable water bottle.
Avoid touching doorknobs, handles on bathroom stalls and faucets, the water cooler, coffee maker, and other commonly used work items. If you can't help it, be sure to wash your hands afterward.

Keep reading for five more ways to prevent getting sick at your job.

Practice Yoga Breath In Your Daily Life

Leta Shy — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:48:07 PST

Over the weekend, I took a yoga class at the Yoga Journal Conference. It was a good way to learn from the best, while getting hands-on attention to help my own yoga practice. While correcting my pose, one of the teacher's assistants reminded me to do something that I always forget: breathe deeply from my diaphragm. Focused, deep breathing is an important aspect of yoga, since it helps you maintain the flow of your practice and balance, and relax muscles to increase flexibility. But once you're out of the studio, using your yoga breath also helps in your daily life.

What makes a good breath? One that starts deep down in your diaphragm and fills your lungs with oxygen. It's the opposite of the shallow, short breathing that many of us do without realizing it. A deep breath doesn't have to be long, or noisy (as in, don't think you have to walk around making those loud throat noises), but you should make a conscious effort to pull your shoulders back, fill your lungs, and exhale slowly. Read our tips on learning how to breathe from your diaphragm here.

Learn how helpful deep breathing is in your everyday life after the break.

Go Deep Into Your Forward Bend

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:10:41 PST

If you run, bike, ski, or sit at a desk all day, chances are your hamstrings are screaming for some attention. Get on the floor and give them what they crave - a seated forward bend. This pose looks simple enough, but here are some ways to increase that deep stretch in the backs of your legs.

Before folding forward, sit with your legs straight out in front of you. Take your right fingertips and pull the flesh of your glute up and away from the sit bone. Repeat on the: left hand moves left cheek. Moving the cushioning of your seat out of the way helps target your hamstrings more effectively in the stretch.
While still sitting upright, increase the stretch in the backs of your legs even further by gently pressing the backs of your knees into the floor. Flex your feet to also engage your calves and shins, but do keep your heels on the floor so you don't hyperextend your knees.
Actively roll both thighs inward, creating a more grounded base for your hips to hinge from. This action in the thighs also help keep the feet flat, as the pinky toe side of the foot has a tendency to curl away from you.

Continue reading to learn

Savvy Confessions: How Do I Deal With a Gossipy Office?

Savvy Community — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:15:16 PST

This reader posted in our anonymous Savvy Confessions group, venting how much people gossip at her office. Do you have any advice for her?
I began a new job about 6 months ago and while I love what I do, I am having questions about whether or not the office that I am in is the right place for me. My co-workers are always gossiping & involved in drama, while I prefer to have as little drama in my life as possible. The office is very small, and only 6 people total work there, but I share a space with 2 of them. They are always instant messaging one another while we are all in the office, and they IM with the other people in our office. It is very uncomfortable, and I have a constant sense of anxiety & uneasiness. My job is already stressful enough (I work in substance abuse treatment), and self-care is very important to avoid burnout, but I have actually left work early in the past because I was so uncomfortable. It has gotten to a point where I sit at my desk with my head phones in, and just do my work without really talking to anyone. In a way, I feel very isolated, but I also realize that I isolate myself for self-preservation. I just don't know what to do. My boss knows about the gossiping and the drama, and he is fed up with it too, but won't do anything about it. He just keeps telling me that "they are on thin ice & better watch out." It is very frustrating. This position offers a lot of opportunity for personal advancement (outside of the company), and I have been told by a supervisor that if I can just stick it out for the full year, it would help me greatly with my future as a counselor. I am just trying to figure out if it is worth it. I was also told (by the same supervisor) that this is not the first time that this company has had issues like this with employees starting gossip, so I have very little hope that it will change. Please help shed some light on this situation.

Pose your own anonymous questions or off-load your work confessions by posting in the Savvy Confessions group, and I'll find the right expert to help you out.

8 Fresh Starts For the Month of January

YumSugar — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 04:39:52 PST

Maybe you made it a culinary resolution to eat healthier, or perhaps you want to start cooking and eating breakfast at home rather than on your way to work or sitting at your office desk. Regardless, we've got eight great recipes to start your day off the right way. From simple savory breakfasts like avocado toast to sweet, more indulgent options like blueberry griddle cakes, these recipes will have you almost excited to get out of bed in the morning.