Did you know that sitting is the new smoking? Spending hours in front of the computer or PC is just as harmful to your health as smoking cigarettes. It hurts your heart, slows your metabolism, and triggers insulin resistance. In the long run, prolonged sitting puts you at risk for diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and cancer.

What if you have an office job that requires sitting all day? Quitting your job may not be option. However, there are ways to undo the harm caused by prolonged sitting. Exercise is the key.

Why Sitting Is Bad for Your Health

Too much sitting affects your health on every level. It causes damage to your brain, heart, arteries, muscles, and bones. Researchers have even come up with a term for its harmful effects, namely the sitting disease.

Studies indicate that women who sit for over six hours a day are 94 percent more likely to die compared to those sitting less than three hours per day. The risk of premature death is 48 percent higher in men with a sedentary lifestyle. Furthermore, sitting contributes to obesity, colon cancer, hypertension, and elevated cholesterol.

Other studies have found that heart disease risk is 147 percent higher in people who sit for too long. They’re also 112 percent more likely to develop diabetes compared to active individuals. Prolonged sitting has been linked to more than 30 chronic diseases, from type II diabetes to osteoporosis.

The human body is designed to move. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors did not suffer from the diseases that plague our society today. They were constantly moving, whether they were hunting, climbing, or carrying their pray.

We have access to modern gyms and quality food, and yet, we’re sicker than ever before. In fact, the average American spends over 55 percent of walking time in sedentary behaviors like sitting.

Luckily, it’s never too late to get active and undo the damage of sitting. Start with these exercises – they will increase your muscle tone, fire your metabolism, and keep your heart healthy until late in life:

Side Lunges

Side lunges work your quads, glutes, and inner thighs as well as your hamstrings. They can be done with or without weights. For best results, hold a light barbell on your shoulders or a dumbbell in each hand.

• Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Step out wide with your right foot.
• Bend your right knee and push your hips back, squeezing your glutes.
• Keep your back straight and your gaze forward.
• Return to the starting position and repeat.
• Switch legs.

Step-Ups

According to the American Council on Exercise, the step-up is one of the best exercises for your glutes. It strengthens these muscles, offsetting the harm caused by sitting.

This dynamic movement not only shapes your legs and glutes but also torches massive calories. It raises your heart rate, boosts your metabolism, and burns fat. To fully reap its benefits, wear ankle weights or hold a dumbbell in each hand. Another option is to hold an exercise ball at chest level.

• Place a wooden box in front of you. It should be about 15 inches high.
• Step on it with your right foot and then lift the rest of your body up.
• Place your left foot on the box as well.
• Step down with your left leg and return to the starting position. Repeat.

Sumo Walk

The sumo walk produces an isometric contraction that activates your abductors. It also prepares your body for more challenging exercises, such as the squat and lunge.

• Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your toes pointed forward
• Wrap a resistance band around your ankles. If you’re a beginner, place it closer to your knees.
• With your knees and hips slightly bent, step out to your side. Squeeze your glutes and maintain the contraction for a second or two.
• Continue to step laterally. Repeat on the other side.

Standing Side Abduction

This exercise targets your outer thighs and glutes. It can be done with an elastic band, your own bodyweight, or a cable resistance machine.

• Stand with our feet slightly apart.
• Keep your back straight and your hands on the hips.
• Lift your right foot off the ground and out to the side as high as possible.
• Place one hand on a wall for support if necessary. Squeeze your glutes and core muscle.
• Lower back your foot and repeat with the other leg.

Donkey Kicks

This exercise isolates and activates your glutes, which are the largest muscle in your body (and the one most affected by prolonged sitting). It’s suitable for all fitness levels and requires no equipment. To make it more challenging, use a glute kickback machine or wear ankle weights.

• Get down on your hands and knees. Keep your back straight.
• Lift your right leg up without moving your hips. Brace your core.
• Stretch your foot as much as you can and then slowly return to the initial position.
• Repeat with the same leg or alternate legs.

Dumbbell Squats

If you had to choose just one exercise for your whole body, it should be squat. It shapes your glutes and legs, revs up your metabolism, and helps develop core strength.

This compound movement can be done with a barbell, dumbbells, kettlebells, or your own bodyweight. Dumbbells squats put less stress on your back and knees, and make it easier to use proper form. Therefore, they’re ideal for beginners.

• Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Maintain a neutral spine.
• Squeeze your abs, push your hips back, and bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Maintain the contraction for one or two seconds and then slowly return to the initial position. Repeat.

In addition to these exercises, try to stay active throughout the day. Running, jogging, swimming, stair climbing, and jumping rope are all an excellent choice.

Also, take a break from sitting every hour or so. Move around your office, take a walk during lunch break, and park your car further from the building. Consider switching to an active desk or swap your office chair for an exercise ball. Spend your weekend outdoors or hit the gym instead of watching TV.