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Be Fit 2 Sit Podcast Ep 9 Students are suffering from Sitting- the Stats

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When I go into classrooms to talk to kids about moving more, healthy postures & desk setup I am often amazed.

Firstly, because I didn’t think kid as young as 8 & 9 years would tell me how much their neck, shoulders and backs hurt when they’re gaming or using their iphones/ ipads.

Secondly, kids astound me by how interested they are in knowing more about their bodies!

So many students enjoy the opportunity to feel the difference between a ‘hunched’ posture and ‘healthy’ postures.

They love finding fun ways to move more that resonate with what they enjoy.

… and one student’s parent even told me her son set her home office up to be ‘ergonomically friendly’ during lockdown after taking home advice from one of our ‘Be Fit 2 Sit’ classes!

In Episode 9 of the ‘Be Fit 2 Sit’ podcast I share some scary statistics about how students, globally, are suffering physically and mentally from increased time sitting.

They’re sitting at their desks, hunched over laptops more.

They’re sitting slouched over phones and tablets on their couch or bed more.

All of which doesn’t set a great foundation to be healthful, successful movers, learners and leaders in their years ahead.

Don’t be discouraged by the statistics!

It’s time to take action and encourage our students to healthy movement, posture and ergonomic habits!

Enjoy listening as physio Kym Siddons shares some ways you can join the ‘Be Fit 2 Sit’ movement as we help our next generation employ healthy habits for life.

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An Ergonomically Friendly Desk Tidy-up + Awesome Desk Exercise for you!

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This week we had some fun on social media…
It was ‘Clean Up Australia Day’ for Businesses on Monday, so I set us all a little challenge!

We went through the simple things we can all do every day to help keep our nation and our office safe (and beautiful) by picking up rubbish and things lying around. 

AND I showed you how to give your own workspace an ‘Ergonomically Friendly Clean-up’ to inspire you to get you in the tidying mood!
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Online Shopping these holidays? Some Device Advice for you…

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What an amazing year that has so quickly come to an end!

Have you paused to reflect on all the great things you achieved in 2018?

So many times, we measure ourselves by what we have failed to achieve…

And not stopped to credit ourselves with what we have cause to celebrate about!

The things we can be grateful for and the steps, however small, we have made towards a better life for ourselves and others.

So, my friend, however far you think you haven’t come, or however many things you haven’t ticked off your list in 2018…

I challenge you to think of 5 things (And I bet once you start you’ll think of 10, 20, even more!) you have to be thankful that you did or that you helped someone else do this year.

And celebrate those things!

Give yourself a pat on the back and slowly exhale, truly recognising that you are an amazing person who has made a positive impact in the lives of others.

I am so happy that you’ve become part of my ‘Workstation Wellness’ family and want to wish you a very Happy Christmas and many blessing for the coming year!

And, because I’m so grateful to have you in my community, I’m gifting you with a little tip this holiday season…

It relates to how you spend your time on your smartphone or tablet over the holidays!

It’s some ‘Device Advice’ for you!

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Kick your Bad Posture Habits- How to ‘Centre Yourself’ to quit painful positions!

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All too often I see people in the clinic complaining of stiffness and soreness in their upper back, neck and shoulders. 😥

I always ask about how their pain started, their work setup, and assess their muscles and joints (among other things). It wasn’t until I started doing workplace assessments that I realised an important piece of the puzzle was missing!

When I got to see people in their work environment something stood out…
the poor posture habits they had at their desk!

Most people don’t realise, until they’re challenged about it, that they inadvertently fall into weird and not-so wonderful positions when they’re concentrating on their work. 😳

I should know- I’m guilty too! 😬

If I’m concentrating on work (not my posture) I can find myself leaning on my left forearm while I’m using my mouse in my right hand.

How about you? What do you tend to do out of habit when you sit?

And it’s not just while we’re working…

What about while we’re driving (elbow up on the window sill anyone?)
And when we’re on our smartphone or tablet, leaning off to one side while we scroll/ text with the other (mmm, that could be me leaning on my elbow at the table)?

We all need to give ourselves a little pep-talk…

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Burning Fat while you Sit at your Desk- Is it Possible?

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If you want to combat pain & strain at your desk, improve your posture and flexibility, boost your health (including burning fat) and productivity… listen up!

 

This piece of info can revolutionise your workday and only takes a few minutes…

 

And if you read to the end, I’ll share with you the most effective techniques I use with my clients to improve strength and endurance in your ‘good posture’ muscles to reduce pain and improve posture.

 

Now, Drumroll please…

 

Here’s the quickest, most effective and research-proven way to improve your health at your desk…

 

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Top Tip to take Strain off your Neck, Shoulders and Upper Back

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Having the weight of your head forwards relative to your shoulders puts so much strain on your neck, upper back and shoulders.

 

Often called ‘Forward Head Posture’ or ‘Poke Chin Posture’ this position alone is responsible to a large proportion of problems I see in people who sit at a desk.

 

But you might be totally unaware that you’re doing it!😳

 

It’s one thing we’re all probably guilty of throughout our day, but the side-effects can be devastating…

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Is your Satchel, Carrybag or Handbag Ruining your Posture?

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To answer the question, Is my carry bag ruining my posture?

Short answer, yes..

Carrying the wrong bag and carrying it poorly places heaps of strain on your shoulders, back and neck..😫

BUT, you can take steps to reduce the load your bag puts on your posture.🎉
 
How much your bag- backpack, satchel or handbag- affects your posture is determined by these things..
 
1)    The type of Bag
 
2)    How heavy it is
 
3)    The way you carry it
 
4)    Your postural strength and endurance
 
So, let’s look at these factors  and see which ones you can improve on..


1)    What type of bag do you tend to carry?

A Laptop bag?💼
A Handbag?👜
A Backpack?🎒
A gym bag?💪
 
It’s probably a ‘no-brainer’, but bags that allow you to carry your load fairly symmetrically win every time.
 
So backpacks are great- and there’s some pretty cool ones out there is you hunt around..
 
The best ones have a waist strap that allows you to distribute some weight to your hips and pelvis. That’s especially important is you have a heavy backpack, are carrying it long distances or have a sore, weak spine. 🎒

.. but maybe not ‘the look’ you’re after?

The next best option is a ‘satchel type’ bag that allows you to spread the load from one shoulder, across the chest, and the weight hand on the opposite side… more about how to carry it well later 💼
 
If you have a casual carry bag (like a gym bag), make sure it has a longer ‘over the shoulder’ handle, so you can carry it like the satchel rather than both handles. 
If not, ditch it!
 
Lastly, the Handbag. Well, ladies, we do have a tendency to fall in love with a gorgeous handbag! 👜
 
Truth is, is you wanna do your posture a favour, keep your handbag as small as you can. 
NOT choose the oversize option that allows you to fit the kitchen sink- unless it’s just for the beach!
 

2)    How heavy it is

You knew it was coming! 

Yep, it’s time to give your carry bag a spring clean 😃
 
The last time I did this, I found an industrial sized tape measure in the bottom that weighed a tonne! No wonder I was feeling weighed down L
 
So make sure you only have in it what you absolutely need so you’re not putting unnecessary strain on your body.
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This Simple Tip can Fix your Rounded Shoulders

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Have you noticed you’ve got rounded shoulders? 

Or concerned you might develop rounded shoulders?🤔

 

Let’s face it, most of us who sit at a computer or desk a lot, even with best intentions, spend a little time slumped, with rounded shoulders…😟

 

Is that harmful, you ask?

 

Well, having rounded shoulders puts heaps more load on your neck, shoulders and upper back…

 

That puts you in a poor posture that increases your risk of pain, stiffness, headaches, injury, limited breathing.. I could go on. Ahhh!😫

 

I’ve got a little tried and tested tip that helps my clients put their shoulders in a much better position to reverse that rounded-ness.. YAY!

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Work on a laptop often? Here’s 2 Things you MUST KNOW

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Working on a laptop is particularly grueling and here’s why..

The screen is attached to your keyboard 😧

Well doh, I hear you say, isn’t that the whole point?

To make your workstation portable?

Well yes, but ergonomically speaking, this is totally setting you up for failure… unless you take two CRITICAL STEPS.

I’ll explain why…

When you use your laptop’s inbuilt keyboard and mouse, you’re inevitably looking down at your screen.

You might already know that looking down at your screen ruins your neck, shoulders, upper back? It also sets you up for postural disaster!😳

But if you raise your screen to take the strain off your neck and back, your arms and wrists end up in a terrible position for typing. 😨

Yikes!

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If Sitting is the ‘New Smoking’, are you at RISK?

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The stats are appalling… we are dying a slow death due to the increasing number of hours we spend sitting each day. 😳

 

The average Aussie sits on average more than 9hours a day (and rising), oblivious to the damage it’s doing to their health… if you add up all the time you sit at work, in the car, on the couch of an evening, is that you?

 

The increased risk of Heart and lung disease, diabetes, kidney disease, mental health disorders, cancer and even death is ridiculously higher in adults who sit more than 7 hours a day, some studies report up to 94% higher!

 

Not to mention the physical toll on your posture: an increased ‘hunch’ in your upper back (thoracic kyphosis) is associated with a far poorer quality of life as you age.

 

But I exercise regularly??!! I hear you protest… well, even if you DO exercise the recommended 30 minutes each day, it doesn’t offset the serious side effects of sitting all day.

 

You see, recent studies (in particular some by Professor Alan Hedge of Cambridge University) have shown that after JUST ONE HOUR of sitting our metabolism slows down so much that we start depositing fat!  YIKES! 😩

 

There’s ONE SIMPLE SOLUTION… are you dying to know?

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