DAVID KIRSCH IN A NEW YORK MINUTE

Sitting at a desk all day really can make your ass as wide as your Herman Miller. But more importantly, it can be detrimental to your health.

Research indicates that the body starts to slow down in as little as 30 minutes and that sitting for long periods, decreases our metabolism, shuts off our fat burning enzymes, and can even lead to clogged arteries and heart disease. Some researchers say that constant sitting can be as bad for you as smoking!

If you didn’t have motivation to get your butt moving at work, now you do. The good news is that people who get up and move once or twice an hour can prevent these things from happening.

Here are three sure-fire moves to keep your blood flowing and your butt cheeks from bulging. You can do them anytime, anywhere including right near your desk or while you’re on the phone. Let’s go!

Good Mornings
Start upright, feet shoulder-width distance apart, hands behind your head. Keeping your core engaged, hinge at the waist keeping your back flat. 15-20 reps.

Hip Extensions
Stand, with both hips facing forward. Resist the urge to turn. Put one hand on a wall or chair for balance. Put your brain in your butt cheek as you lift right leg back – heel first. Extend as far as you can without turning your hips. Repeat with left leg. 15-20 reps.

Plie Squats
Start with your feet wider than shoulder-width distance apart and turn your toes out. Keeping your weight in your heels and your knees turned out, squat down and then up. Repeat. Turn it up a notch by lifting your helps us as you squat. 15-20 reps.

While at work, try to take exercise breaks every hour. These breaks can be as simple as getting up to speak to a colleague in person rather than emailing them, or getting a headset and doing your butt-burning moves while talking on the phone. And who says meetings have to be done sitting down? Why not take them on the road or to the stairwell? You can turn your one-on-ones into a walking meeting. You never know what great ideas you’ll come up with!

You can find more moves for your lower half in my Butt Book.