Our fitness and training experts offer this additional advice:
1. Get a tracker. It used to be that only parolees wore electronic tracking bracelets, but today lots of people have a fitness tracker around a wrist or in a pocket or handbag. You might already have a basic tracker if you own a smartphone (e.g., Apple Health on the iPhone). Fitbit, Jawbone, Garmin and others can get you into the game for $100 or less.
2. Get into the (Fitbit) zone. Wondering why there’s a clutch of cars parked at the farthest edge of your company’s parking lot? They probably belong to co-workers trying to meet their 10,000-steps-a-day fitness challenge. Why not join them?
3. Take a hike when you take a meeting. Suggest that your group walk and talk instead of sprawling around a conference table. Ask someone who has mastered the art of walking and texting at the same time to keep notes and send out a recap.
4. Sit back. Your mom got it half right when she said, “Sit up straight and don’t slouch.” Slouching is bad. But sitting upright, with your torso and thighs forming a 90-degree angle, is what kills your spine, lower back and hips. Relieve the pressure by leaning back at a 135-degree angle (halfway between sitting upright and lying down).
— Janet Roberts
