Don't Just Sit There! How to Get Fit at Your Desk

Take the Stairs—Even When Sitting at Your Desk

Even pretend climbing has important benefits. Sitting all day can cause poor circulation, says Geralyn Coopersmith, director of the Equinox Fitness Training Institute. "The blood pools in your lower extremities, causing the ankles to swell and varicose veins to become more pronounced." (Added to the list of sitting hazards is that it makes us look frumpier.) Coopersmith says moving the muscles in the lower body can help pump the veins to bring blood to the heart, brain and lungs so it can be reoxygenated. "About once an hour, stomp your feet like you're marching in place while seated in your chair," she says. Keep it up for 45 seconds to a minute—or as long as it takes to read an email.