Small Spurts of Activity Add Up

Exercising at your desk won't make you an athlete, but it might keep you alive, experts say.

"If your goal is to get protection from 'all-cause mortality,' it's fine," says Ethel Frese, an associate professor of physical therapy with St. Louis University.

All-cause mortality includes death from illnesses that can be affected by eating right and exercising, such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and certain cancers.

"It's different from someone who wants fitness like an athlete might," Frese said. "A lot of people have the idea that you have to be a runner or a serious biker; you really don't. The intensity level of an activity can be much less than people think."

The best results, Frese says, come from a 10- to 20-minute walk during lunch; using the stairs and not the elevator; walking to deliver a message rather than using e-mail or the phone; parking farther away from your office rather than closer -- anything that promotes movement during the workday.

"If I just want some protection from diseases . . . then the general recommendation is to get about 1,000 [extra] calories of activities a week," she said.

When long walks aren't possible, you can get your blood moving with some moves at your desk. "I recommend standing up, then sitting down slowly in your chair," Frese said.

Nick Viviano, a St. Louis fitness consultant, says he bundles exercise to include stress relief.

"Health is more than cardiovascular fitness," Viviano said. "It's stress management, flexibility, your mental attitude. It all contributes to health."