Do You Have 'Sitting Disease'?

Sitting is the new smoking! According to recent studies, too much sitting can be bad for your health, even if you exercise regularly.

People who are mostly sedentary face a higher risk of chronic diseases and death than people who spend more time on their feet.

Most of us sit for more than half of our waking hours—an amount researchers say is too much.

How many hours do you spend sitting at a computer, driving, watching TV or doing other sedentary activities in a typical day?

Think of three ways you could spend more of that time standing or moving. For example:

• Opt for an activity break to stretch and move your body vs a snack or coffee break
• Walk around or do leg raises during your next conference call
• Keep stretching bands and/or hand weights near where you watch TV and use the commercials as a cue to get up and move
• Set an alarm at the top of every hour and get out of your chair at work and home (some fitness devices can be programmed to do this, too)

What else could you do? Write down your ideas and post them visibly near where you usually sit for long periods.