I started my editorial job on September 4th. For the past month and a half, I’ve been leading a sedentary life. My morning commute involves 2 hours of sitting in the car. Then I’m parked at my desk all day at work. After a quick 30 minute workout, it’s back in the car for an hour and a half ride home. I walk from the car to the couch, exhausted from my work day and ready to veg out and watch TV until it’s time for bed. I wake up the next morning and do it all over again.

(I’d love to wear a pedometer to see how frighteningly few steps I take on a typical day.)

My sedentary life is starting to bother me. I try to eat healthy and get a good night’s sleep, but because of my lack of physical activity, I feel lousy all the time. No energy, stiff muscles, mentally fatigued, aches and pains from so many hours of sitting.

So how can I sneak more movement into a typical workday? I plan to…

1. Walk to the far kitchen to fill my water instead of taking 10 steps to the nearby kitchen.
2. Take the stairs instead of the elevator (I work on the 6th floor so this will definitely make a difference.)
3. Use my lunch break to go for a walk or walk on the treadmill at the office’s gym.
4. Set a reminder to stand up and stretch every hour that I’m sitting in front of the computer.
5. Drink more water. (More water = more walks to the kitchen for refills and more trips to the bathroom.)
6. Take a multi-vitamin. (Just in case my attempt at a healthy diet isn’t cutting it.)
7. Add 10-15 minutes to my gym workouts whenever my schedule allows.
8. Refuse to sit on the couch when I get home from work until after I’ve completed 2 or 3 chores.
9. Try to be as active as possible on Saturdays and Sundays to make up for sitting all week.
10. Hunt for an apartment in Boston so I can eliminate riding in the car for 3 1/2 hours every day.

I love my job. I’ve learned so much about the publishing world as it shifts from print to digital. I can finally see a career path spreading out before me. Since I won’t be escaping from this sedentary office life, I need to find a way to make it work. I’m confident that I can have a desk job while still being healthy and in good shape. If you have additional suggestions of ways I can sneak more movement into my life, please let me know!