8 Ways to Sit Less and Move More Each Day

Whether you’re an avid exerciser or a confirmed couch potato, simply moving more and sitting less can boost your health dramatically, according to a host of studies done during the past decade.

In fact, even if you dutifully work out every day, sitting for at least 13 hours a day and taking fewer than 4,000 steps per day can blunt the benefits of that exercise, increasing the risk of insulin resistance, poor blood sugar control, and a high level of the fatty acids called triglycerides. This, in turn, increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, as suggested by research published in 2019.

And Americans are sitting more today than ever before, according to an analysis of U.S. government health surveys published in 2019. The data, collected between 2001 and 2016 from almost 52,000 Americans, shows that over that time, average daily sitting time increased by roughly an hour, to almost six and a half hours for adults.

The good news: According to the latest U.S. Department of Health and Human Services exercise guidelines, short durations of activity — even just a minute or two — count toward the minimum 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise that healthy adults should fit in weekly.

What’s more, even trivial-seeming moves like strumming a guitar, folding laundry in front of the television, and brushing your teeth help counter the negative effects of sitting for long stretches. Thanks go to nonexercise activity thermogenesis, otherwise known as NEAT, which is the scientific term for the way everyday activities stimulate your metabolism.

“It takes energy — calories — to move even the smallest muscle,” explains Polly de Mille, RN, an exercise physiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. “For example, you burn about 1.5 calories per minute just lying still while your body performs its most basic functions.” Go from lying down to sitting in a chair and answering email and you’ll burn 25 percent more calories. Now start fidgeting in your chair and you’ll burn even more.

The more NEAT activities you engage in each day, the more calories you burn, which, in turn, helps you maintain or even lose weight, and improves your overall health, according to research published in 2018. In fact, the amount of everyday activity you get beyond the 30 minutes of formal exercise you might be doing could matter even more for your health and longevity than trips to the gym, per research published in 2015. Here are some NEAT ways to make the move-more concept work for you.

1. Use Your Phone to Add Activity at Work

If you have a desk job or collapse on the couch as soon as you get home, train yourself to just get up more — it could help you live longer. Reducing the amount of time you sit each day can add as many as three years to your life, according to an analysis from 2012 that looked at five large-scale studies involving two million people in 20 countries. One easy way to reduce your sitting time is to set an alarm on your phone to remind you to stretch at your desk for a few minutes every hour. “Use talking on the phone as a cue to stand up and start pacing or just shifting your weight from one foot to the other,” advises de Mille. “Stand up and stretch every time you hit send on an email.”

2. Make Counting Your Steps Easy

To gauge how much moving you currently do and then motivate yourself to do more, de Mille suggests tracking your steps with your phone, a no-frills pedometer, or a fitness tracker. “There’s nothing like having a running tally of your steps per day staring at you to make you want to move more,” de Mille says. You can easily add steps to almost every daily activity. “Park at the far end of the parking lot or get off the subway or bus one stop early,” she says. “Extra steps add up to significant calories over time.”

3. Take the Stairs Up or Down

If you want a NEAT activity that really pays dividends, take the stairs whenever possible. “If climbing stairs seems too daunting, take the elevator up and walk down on your way out,” de Mille suggests. “Or if you’re going to the fifth floor, walk up to two or three and take the elevator the rest of the way.”

4. Make Chores More Fun by Dancing

Cleaning is one at-home exercise that we all have to do — you might hate it, but it’s NEAT at its finest. Amp up the calorie burn by turning on some music to add extra pep to your step as you vacuum, iron, and tidy up around the apartment or house.

5. Carry Your Groceries Home

Combine strength training and errands on your next trip to the store: If you live within walking distance of your market, see whether you can carry the groceries in your arms rather than a cart. If you have to drive, turn unloading the car into an at-home exercise by adding a few biceps curls every time you lift a bag out of the trunk.

6. Fidget With Your Feet

Toe tapping and raising your heels while seated are not only NEAT exercises, they also work the muscles in the lower legs, and may even help prevent arterial disease, according to research from 2016. Placing a large book on your knees while raising your heels will provide more resistance and an even bigger boost in caloric expenditure.

7. Make the Most of Your Time While Standing in Line

Whether it’s at the grocery store, the post office, or the movies, waiting in line can transform the boring realities of life into a NEAT opportunity. “Stand on one leg or step side to side when waiting for an elevator, a bus, or a train,” de Mille suggests. “If you’re taking a subway or a bus, stand. There are plenty of people who will be grateful for your seat.”

8. Have a Ball While Sitting

Sitting on a chair requires no muscle activity at all, but sitting on a stability ball (also known as a fitness or balance ball) forces you to subtly contract lots of different muscles to maintain your balance. If you can’t sit on a ball at work, try it at home while watching television, eating dinner, playing video games, or reading.