One, we are eating more of salads, fruits, and veggies as a family. Two, I have been practicing Yoga once a week, except few misses here and there. And, three, I have been standing up while working for the past month or so.
I used to feel tired sitting at desk after 4-5 hours of work. So, I decided to stand up at least for few hours every day. I have been doing this for a month now and love it.
My daily routine is usually sit for one hour in the morning, then stand up for two hours, then sit for one hour for lunch, and stand up for 3-4 hours in the afternoon, and then sit for an hour in the evening. This routine is interrupted on and off for meetings, but works great for the most part.
After a month of practice, I can say that I feel energetic during the afternoon hours when energy used to dip after lunch. I also don't feel any tired when I return home in the evening. Additionally, I am getting a good night's sleep because of the implicit workout while standing up at work.
Most people have a table and a chair for their desk. Therefore, standing up is generally difficult if you are working in front of the computer. I found a perfect solution to increase the height of the desk to a standing height.
I raised the height of the monitor, keyboard, and the mouse using plain old shipping boxes. I used these shipping boxes to keep my profile low-key in the office. I did not want to appear as too "health-conscious" to my co-workers and boxes blend-in perfectly with the room decor. It is also easier to convert back to a sitting desk by simply removing the boxes. And, it is a cost-effective solution to try out.
Why is sitting bad for us
Sitting at your desk for prolonged periods can decrease the efficiency of fat burning enzymes, decrease your circulation and increase the chance of mental fatigue. These effects can lead to a poor performance at work, such as low concentration and productivity, but it can also cause more serious problems like heart disease, cholesterol, back or neck pain and thrombosis.
An enzyme called lipoprotein lipase plays a central role in how the body processes fats. This enzyme is produced by many tissues, including muscles. Low levels of lipoprotein lipase are associated with a variety of health problems, including heart disease. Leg muscles only produce this molecule when they are actively being flexed such as when standing up. Additionally, contracting muscles produce a whole suite of substances that have a beneficial effect on how the body uses and stores sugars and fats.
Health Benefits of Standing Up
Standing up engages muscles and promotes the distribution of lipase, which prompts the body to process fat and cholesterol, independent of the amount of time spent exercising.
Standing up engages muscles and promotes the distribution of lipase, which prompts the body to process fat and cholesterol, independent of the amount of time spent exercising.
Standing up uses blood glucose and may discourage the development of diabetes.
Standing up improves blood circulation.
Standing up improves body posture.
Standing up helps with creative tasks such as art (painting) or creative problem solving activities like brainstorming on white-board etc. Indeed, the adage 'thinking on your feet' makes your creative juices flow.
There is a social benefit of standing up. My co-workers find it easier to walk in to my office to talk. I find myself to be more welcoming while attending to them.
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