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Good morning! Are you reading this at your standing desk? While on a walk? Then you’ve already got a head start on today’s newsletter!

Shoutout to Paul B. for this week’s topic idea. If you have suggestions of topics you’d like to learn more about, please send them my way!

Quick housekeeping note: I’ll be in your inbox next week as usual, but will take the following two weeks off as I embark on some more fun travels!

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❤️‍🔥 How to rev your metabolism throughout the work day

We’ve all heard the saying that “sitting is the new smoking,” and while that might be a little dramatic, it does underscore an important truth: in our tech-driven world, we’re spending more time sitting than ever before. Whether you're working in an office or remotely from home, long hours of sitting behind a desk have become the norm. The problem? Sitting for extended periods can have serious negative effects on our bodies and health.

So, what can you do about it? Here are some simple yet powerful ways to break up your sedentary time, rev your metabolism, and stay healthy throughout the workday.

The Dangers of Sitting Too Much

Before we dive into solutions, let’s take a moment to recognize just how damaging sitting for too long can be:

• Higher resting blood pressure

• Poorer glucose and insulin regulation, which increases your risk of diabetes

• Increased risks of heart disease and arterial stiffness

• Higher cholesterol levels

• Increased rates of anxiety and depression

• Greater risk of osteoporosis (bone density loss) and sarcopenia (muscle loss)

• Chronic inflammation and muscle stiffness

• Achy joints, especially in the back and hips

The effects of sitting too much don’t just affect your physical health—they can also impact your mental well-being and productivity. But fear not; there are simple changes you can make to avoid these risks, even if you have to sit for most of the day. Move to improve, baby!

1. Movement Breaks: Stand Up and Stretch!

The easiest way to combat the negative effects of sitting is to stand up and move around regularly. Ideally, you want to get up and move every 30–60 minutes. This can be as simple as standing up, stretching, or walking around the room for a minute.

If you’re in the middle of something important and can’t take a break, don’t stress about it—that can actually make things worse. Do what you can, and try to plan for movement later. Set a timer on your phone or computer to remind yourself when it’s time to move, even if that’s after a couple hours.

When you take your movement breaks, you can also consider combining them with a few minutes of deep breathing or mindfulness. This can help reduce stress and enhance your focus when you return to your desk.

2. Take Walks: Boost Your Metabolism with Movement

One of the best things you can do for your body during the workday is to walk. Even if you don’t have many breaks, you likely have a lunch break, which is the perfect time for a short walk.

• Walk before or after lunch: Just 10 minutes of walking before or after a meal can significantly help with blood sugar regulation. This simple act can make a big difference in how your body processes the food you’ve just eaten.
  

• Walk before or after work: A 10–30 minute walk at the beginning or end of your day is another great way to bookend your workday with movement. It clears your mind and helps you transition between work and home life. (Or you can be like me and cram in a podcast on 1.7x speed 🙄)

If possible, I recommend incorporating a consistent pre- or post-work workout session. Even 30–60 minutes of exercise on most weekdays will do wonders for your physical and mental health.

3. "Exercise Snacks": Quick, Simple, Effective

An “exercise snack” is a quick burst of physical activity that doesn’t require a gym or long session. These are small exercises you can do throughout the day to keep your blood circulating and metabolism firing. Here are some ideas:

• Yoga stretches like cat/cow or thoracic extension for your upper back

• Air squats or push-ups (not my favorite, but highly effective)

• Lunges or other leg exercises

• Couch stretch for your hip flexors

• A quick dance break to one of your favorite songs

• Walking or sprinting up stairs for a minute or two

• Posture stretches to open up your chest and shoulders

• Standing side bends or other low back stretches to reduce stiffness

The great thing about “exercise snacks” is that they don’t take up much time, and they help fight off the mental fog and physical discomfort of sitting too long. 

Personally, I can’t get through my day without several movement breaks. If I stay put for more than an hour or two, not only does my back start hurting, but I get brain fog as well.

• In a four-hour period, for example, I’ll be far more productive, creative, and efficient if I take a 5-minute break every half hour or hour rather than stay seated and try to grind through an entire multi-hour block.

Consider using a fitness tracker or movement app to keep tabs on your activity levels. Seeing your progress and getting reminders can help you stay motivated and make movement breaks a part of your daily routine.

4. Additional Tips to Keep You Moving

Here are some other small but impactful changes you can make to stay active and break up your sedentary time:

• Stay hydrated: Keep a water bottle nearby. This will encourage you to take bathroom breaks, which means moving your body regularly.

• Pace around during phone calls: Rather than sitting still, walk around while talking on the phone or in meetings. This is a great way to get your steps in without interrupting your work.

• Invest in a standing desk: If possible, alternate between sitting and standing. Even standing for a few minutes every hour can be a game changer (like it has for me!).

If sitting is unavoidable, make sure your workspace is ergonomically friendly. Sit with your feet flat on the floor, your knees at a 90-degree angle, and your screen at eye level to reduce the risk of back and neck pain.

5. Bonus Tip: Schedule Movement Breaks Into Your Day

If you have the flexibility, try scheduling meetings (or asking to schedule them) to start or end 5–10 minutes before or after the hour. This will give you a short break to grab a drink, stretch, or take a quick walk before jumping into the next task. Trust me, everyone would love this! A little cognitive break goes a long way in helping you stay focused and productive.

If you work in person with others, try turning your movement breaks into an opportunity for social connection. Get a coworker to join you for a walking meeting or challenge your team to see who can take the most steps in a week. A little friendly competition can be a great motivator!

In Conclusion: Small Changes, Big Impact

Making time for movement throughout your workday can improve both your physical health and mental clarity. Start with one or two of these strategies, like setting a timer to remind you to stand up, or taking a short walk after lunch. As you build these habits, you’ll find that you feel more energized, productive, and healthy at work—and in life.

Throughout the day, these small but mighty tips can burn many hundreds of calories and keep your metabolism active. Small actions like getting up every hour, doing quick stretches, and walking regularly can add up over time to make a big difference in your well-being.

✅ Take Action

Every newsletter's Take Action section will invite you to take small steps to improve your health. Recognizing that we all have different capabilities, I'll offer three different levels of action you can choose to take.

Level 1: Incorporate one walk into your workday when you’d normally stay sedentary. Note how much fresher you feel when you come back!

Level 2: Mobilize. Raise your arms, extend your hips, stretch your back. At least a couple times a day, get out of your hunched seated position and take your body into the opposite ranges of motion.

Level 3: Invest in yourself! Whether that’s a standing desk, walking pad, home yoga mat, or even a new water bottle, putting a little money where your mouth is can integrate movement habits into your daily life.

✍️ Drew's Picks:

• Snack better: Good news! Americans’ snacking habits are getting healthier!

See you next week—but not the following two! I’ll miss you probably!!

If you liked this week’s tips, click the link below to copy and send it to a friend.

Keep moving,

Drew

The content in Move to Improve is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. It is always a good idea to consult with a trusted health professional before making any major lifestyle changes that could have a significant impact on your health. This is not a medical resource, and any opinions and articles are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for consulting a qualified medical professional. Please think critically and take what I say with a grain of salt (aka don’t sue me).