Sitting in a chair all day can kill you; Exercise at your desk can make a difference

Those who sit for hours at a time - even if they regularly work out at the gym - are at an increased risk for an early death, according to research reported in Men's Health.

Sitting for long periods is bad for the heart, and that holds true for "exercising couch potatoes", says Marc Hamilton, Ph.D.

In other words, a person who jogs or goes on the elliptical five times a week, but hangs out at a desk all day other than that.

A study of the lifestyle habits of some 17,000 men and women revealed that those who sat for most of the day were 54% more likely to have heart problems as those who rarely sat. And it didn’t matter how much the sedentary individuals weighed or how much they worked out.

So if you can't switch jobs, try these workout moves that can be done around the office from Kara Smith, special programs coordinator for the Loyola Center for Fitness in Maywood, Ill.

March in place: Stand up, march in place or take a brief walk around your office to increase blood flow, and increase your heart rate by doing low-impact jumping jacks (raise your right arm out to the side while tapping your left toe out to the side, and then switch sides.)

Tighten your abs: You don't need to wear a leotard to perform the exercises recommended by Dr. Anders Cohen, chief of neurosurgery and spine surgery at the Brooklyn Hospital Center. "While sitting at your desk, tighten up your abdominals and straighten your back," he says. "Make your stomach feel like a washboard and hold it to the count of five, then repeat. It tones your abs, supports your lower back and minimizes injuries."

Raise your hands: Get the blood flowing when sitting for long periods simply by raising your hands over your head and touching your fingers, or bringing your hands behind your back and grabbing your wrists, Cohen says.

Without ever moving out of your chair, try these, recommended by Monica Vazquez, certified master trainer and running coach:

Desk push-ups: Place your hands slightly farther than shoulder-width apart on the edge of your desk. Keeping a straight back, do two sets of 15 pushups. Or try "desk planks," Vazquez says. For this one, place your elbows on your desk (with a sweater for padding if you need it) and bring your legs out and behind you in a plank position. There should be a straight line from your shoulders to your feet. If it seems too easy, try doing it on one leg. Always hold for 30 seconds per side for one leg, or for one minute. Repeat twice for maximum benefits, Vazquez recommends.

Sit up straight: Another way to work out in the office: replace your chair with a "fitball" so you will learn better posture and how to support your back, says fitness expert and model Tosca Reno. Or sit at your desk at your chair or on a fit ball, and push yourself off your feet while supporting your body weight using just your arms, says Reno. "You can also increase your metabolism by doing walking lunges on the way to the water cooler," she says. "And use a water bottle like a weight to do biceps curls and shoulder presses while you’re sitting at your desk."

"Taking a break for even a few minutes can help with cardiovascular, strength and flexibility," says Kara Smith, special programs coordinator for the Loyola Center for Fitness in Maywood, Ill. "And if co-workers give you a strange look, ask them to join you.

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