Do you go to the gym or put on your running shoes and head out for a jog most days of the week but still end up sitting all day at work? If this sounds like you then you might just fall into the category of an ‘Active Couch Potato’. An active couch potato dedicates time to exercise but is still predominantly inactive due to our modern day lifestyle of long hours sitting and generally been very inactive. Do you think that your regular gym sessions will counteract the general doom and gloom of sitting all day? Well unfortunately new research is starting to show that sitting for longer than 8 hours a day even if you do fit in your regular exercise sessions can still affect your metabolism, joints and posture in a similar way to complete inactivity. The solution? Find ways to break up long periods of inactivity.

At Work- Get up from your work station every hour and do a lap around the office or make sure that you take your lunch breaks and try go for a five minute walk rather than sitting behind your desk. Work stations that can be elevated so you can spend half the day sitting and the other half standing are fantastic as they allow the body to change position throughout the day rather than been trapped in the exact same position for 8 hours.

At Home- Look at how you spend your down time. See if there are sports or activities like walking or gardening that you could do instead of time spent surfing the internet, reading or watching TV.

In General- Try find ways you can increase your incidental exercise. For example walking to the bus stop rather than driving or taking the stairs rather than the elevator. There are opportunities everywhere to get a little bit more activity.

If you have a regular gym or training programme keep at it!!! Regular exercise is so important for your health, but also look at small ways you might be able to keep yourself moving throughout the work day and your weekends as well.