Welcome to the inaugural post of the Illinois Tech Wellness blog! We anticipate bringing you a new topic every other Wednesday. This first week we'll feature some ideas for fitting in a little more movement during your day.
You've probably caught wind of some headlines in the news about how "sitting is the new smoking." Studies have begun to show that sitting for extended periods of time is linked with the conditions that make up metabolic syndrome, and can increase risk of death from cardiovascular disease. So what can you do to prevent these conditions? Here are some ideas for how to get, and keep, moving:
- Park a little farther from the door. Make it a habit to park at the end of the parking lot. Most people think parking near the front door will save time, but you'll probably find that the time you spend circling the lot for the closest spot ends up being more than the time you spend walking a little farther to the door.
- Take the stairs. While it may not be doable for you to climb several flights of stairs at a time, why not try a flight or two more each day?
- Take a break every hour. Break up your work day by taking time to move around each hour if at all possible. Set an alarm to remind yourself to move, or simply take a quick walk around your floor after finishing one task and moving on to the next.
- Workout over your lunch hour. Those at the Mies Campus have some great options for mid-day workouts. There's the workout room on the 6th floor of the IIT Tower, as well as Keating, which not only has a full weight room and cardio equipment, but a pool and group fitness classes. Remember this is free for Illinois Tech community members! For a schedule, visit www.illinoistechathletics.com.
- Use a fitness tracker. There are several options out there, from pedometers that cost only a few dollars to smartwatches that track everything from your heartrate to sleep patterns. Some trackers allow for friendly competition with others in your network, but you'd be surprised at how motivating it can be to simply try to beat your own record.
- Stand or take a walk while on the phone. Are you going to be stuck on a conference call all afternoon? Why not call in using your cell phone and take a walk outside at the same time?
There are many other ideas out there, so do an internet search and find what works best for you. When you do need to stay seated,
using the correct posture can make a world of difference.
Remember that Illinois Tech health plan members have a world of resources through Blue Cross Blue Shield (log in at
www.bcbsil.com and click on the Well on Target link under the quick links), and everyone has access to our LifeWorks Employee Assistance Program (see the
HR Portal page for contact information - you may need to log in using your MyIIT credentials).
Article by Viktoria Rill. Sources:
Mayo Clinic: What are the risks of sitting too much?
24 Ways to Incorporate More Movement Into Your Day
Blue Cross Blue Shield employer wellness resources (
sitting posture link)
