As someone who works on a computer most of the day (and spends a good deal of non-work time on one too), it’d be great news if this Lifehacker post is correct. You can help counteract too much sitting by:
- Getting regular breaks during sedentary activity
- Getting about 30 minutes of activity a day
Re the first recommendation, LifeHacker unfortunately says all you need to do is stand, but if you dig into this a bit more, it’s clear you need to actually move.
Re the second recommendation, check out this fab video if you haven’t already seen it.
As far as physical activity, it’s clear more is better (unless you’re talking chronic cardio). But if you’ve got a desk job, it sure seems like being intentional about building in activity regularly is well worthwhile.
I’ve been using a 20-minute timer on my computer for months now just as part of my back rehabilitation. Glad to know it may have other benefits!
Weight Maven is written by Beth Mazur. Beth believes that obesity is more symptom than cause and that the real problem is our Western diet -- especially sugar, refined grains, and industrial oils. Beth writes about nutrition, ancestral health & food policy. And cats! 
I worry about working out and then sitting too much. NY Times did a story about standing while working…not convinced.
Yeah, the folks at Cornell say the whole “standing while working” thing is problematic too.
Seems like if work (or life) requires sitting, breaking it up regularly is worth doing.
Great idea about using the timer to remind yourself to get up & move around!
It’s interesting that timers and taking breaks come up so much these days, too, when it comes to the vital issue of nurturing energy and attention. I’ve been taking cues from the Pomodoro method and trying to do 20 minutes uninterrupted stints of focussed work (using a timer), then a break, then another sprint, as a way of getting meaningful work done and dealing with anxiety, distraction. Maybe a similar cycle is good for both body AND mind!