10 Ways to Get Up More and Sit Less

When we are sitting, we’re barely burning any calories compared to when we get up and move. Unfortunately, many of us do a lot of sitting. If you work at a desk, in an office job, or commute to work, sitting is hard to avoid.

If you are trying to incorporate more activity into your life, you have to get up and move. For gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and gastric band patients, increasing physical activity is crucial to weight loss. For those new to physical activity, you may have to work your way up to a full workout, but adding little bursts of activity throughout the day can help get your body used to the additional movement. And for those who do exercise but could use a little more calorie burning activities in your day to help boost your weight loss, adding in a few extra moves a day can help, too.

Are you ready to take on the challenge to get up more and sit less? Great! To help get you started, we’ve brainstormed a few ideas to get you up and moving during your day:

1. 1. Organize your home or work space so things are less convenient. Separate your printer from your computer. Keep the TV remote far enough away from the TV so you have to get up from the couch.
2. 2. Bring your lunch to work, but leave it in the car. You’ll have to walk out to your car and back at lunchtime. You could even park far away or go for a little walk after eating if you have time.
3. 3. When you have to talk on the phone, get up and walk around your home or office.
4. 4. Use a small glass or water bottle instead of a big one. This will encourage you to get up and refill it often.
5. 5. Drink a lot of water. You should be drinking 64 ounces of water each day after bariatric surgery. This should necessitate multiple trips to the bathroom.
6. 6. At work, choose a bathroom that is further down the hall or on a different floor and take the stairs.
7. 7. Don’t use a drive-thru. Whether it’s for food, coffee, or prescription pick ups forgo the drive thru and walk into the store.
8. 8. If you’re watching TV, get up between each episode or if there’s a commercial, get up then too. Put something away, go to the bathroom, refill your water cup, do something that gets you up off the couch for a few minutes and gets you moving.
9. 9. Set a timer in the kitchen (or on your phone) to remind you to get up. This is really helpful for when social media seems to make you fall through a black hole of time. Set the timer for 10 or 15 minutes, get up from your phone or computer to go do something productive, then come back. Just remember to set the time again when you sit down.
10. 10. When you absolutely can’t get up (when you’re stuck in traffic or in a meeting), you can still engage your muscles. Try Kegel exercises or tighten and relax your abdominal muscles. Try doing thirty repetitions at a time and you’ll begin to feel it.

The above suggestions are offered by Dr. Shillingford, MD, PA, a Center of Excellence surgeon specializing in advanced laparoscopic and bariatric surgery. Dr. Shillingford performs gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and lap band surgery for patients using insurance and those who choose to pay the affordable out of pocket price. Dr. Shillingford’s surgical skills, excellent reputation, and affordable prices attract patients from near and far, including Miami, Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa, Georgia, New York, Michigan, Ohio, and Texas. Dr. Shillingford encourages all of his patients to incorporate physical activity into their bariatric lifestyle as it is essential for our bodies and minds in addition to weight loss.