Whatever you do Don't sit still!

You can work out for an hour in the morning and still sit around the rest of the day. It sounds harsh. But that's pretty much what the research says.

Prolonged sitting is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and premature death and most strikingly: partly regardless of how much you exercise.

So the morning workout won't save you if you then sit still for eight hours.

The body is simply not built to sit still all day and then work out hard for an hour. It is built to move often and a little. Muscles that are completely still for hours stop doing their job with blood sugar and blood fats.

The good news: the antidote is simple and almost free.

→ Break your sitting position often. Get up every half hour, even if it's just for half a minute. It's the break itself that counts more than what you do during it.

→ Move a little all the time. Take the stairs. Walk to your colleague instead of emailing. Take the phone meeting standing up. Such small steps add up to a surprising amount.

→ Switch positions. If you have a height-adjustable desk, great, but standing still for eight hours is not the solution either. The point is variety, not exchanging one still position for another.

→ Walking meetings. One of the best tricks there is. Anything that doesn't require a screen can just as easily be held on a walk.

And one thing that surprises many: if you have neck, shoulder or back pain at your desk, the solution is rarely the perfect ergonomic posture. The best posture is the one you don't stay in for too long. An expensive chair helps less than a reminder to get up.

How often do you get up from your chair on a typical workday? To optimize if you can, do a few squats when you get up anyway.

All the best,

Kennet Bath