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Exercise: Take an Energy Break
Exercise: Take an Energy BreakPg 1TranscriptSitting for long periods of time increases your risk of developing many serious health problems likeheart disease, type 2 Diabetes, and some cancers. Many health care providers agree, sitting is thenew smoking. This means that sitting all day everyday can be as dangerous to your health assmoking!Even if you do exercise on a regular basis, you are still probably sitting too much every day. Manypeople start the day off sitting in their car on their commute to work, then sit at a desk in front of acomputer, and then sit in front of a TV in the evenings. Too much sitting!Instead, find ways each day to take an energy break. Schedule movement throughout your day, ontop of your regular exercise sessions, to increase your activity and decrease the time you spendsitting in a chair.NEAT, or Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, is the amount of activity you do each day, on topof your regular exercise sessions. Activities like grocery shopping, vacuuming, and parking yourcar farther away from the store entrance, are all examples of calorie burning activities that canincrease your movement every day.Increasing these activities can help you lose weight, reduce your risk of long-term health problemsand get you out of your chair. Within 30 seconds your body benefits from movement. It is worth it.Try wearing a pedometer each day to count the number of steps you take. Then each day, findways to increase that number. Walk to the printer at work. Have a walking meeting with your coworkers. Pace while you talk on the phone. All these steps will add up to better health.A fitness tracker, usually worn on your wrist, can also help you see how much you are movingeach day. And some fitness trackers can help you reach your individual health goals because theyhelp track your exercise sessions as well as your NEAT movements to let you know how well youare doing overall.Here are a few more ways to increase your activity. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Playwith your grandsons. Put on music and dance while you do the dishes. Spend time gardening andpulling out weeds. Sit on an exercise ball at your desk. Be creative. Do what fits into your day andmake it fun.Every 30 minutes do something that makes your body move. You may want to try schedulingNEAT breaks into your day. Set an alarm on your phone or computer that tells you to get up andget moving.Sitting for long periods of time each day is not good for your health. Your body needs to bemoving. Find ways every day to take energy breaks often, you will reach your health goals and feelbetter for the long term.This program is for informational purposes only; for all health related issues please contact your healthcareprovider. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this videofor medical decision making. gn_10220_98 ©Milner-Fenwick, Inc.
Watch this for tips on ways you can be active while at work.
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