Yoga Ball Chair For Health

My second ball. A new ball about every 10-ish years. Not bad.

Switching out a “chair” for a yoga ball! What?! Yep, that’s exactly what I did. I use a yoga ball daily for not only exercise but to “sit” on!

I’m always looking for ways to be kinder to my body and I’m always looking for ways to exercise while not “exercising” if that makes sense. What I mean is I try to get in exercise wherever I can. For instance while brushing my teeth I do leg lifts or wall squats.

Since I do a lot of computer work I wondered if I could work out my abs, legs, and back by sitting on a yoga ball. One thing I noticed right off the bat is my back feeling really good. No more achy feeling. My body didn’t feel tired and I felt more alert.

I experimented by moving my legs forward and back and wiggle side to side; both moves engaged my abs. I was onto something! Both fun and beneficial! I like that! Also, it gave me a great excuse to get rid of my highly uncomfortable chair! (In my forever quest for less stuff, that was another plus.)

I also noticed things like my back “self-adjusting”. And let me tell you… feels amazing!

So this is what I do: Sit on the yoga ball. My feet are flat for support. My legs are about shoulder width apart (I adjust feet positions for a change-up). There’s no rhyme or reason to any of my movements. The key for me is to not be still. I might tap my toes up and down or lift the heels of my feet up and down. I will wiggle side to side, rotate my hips around, move my legs forward and back.

If you give this a try, you can experiment with moves. I find it fun and anything to keep the blood moving is good in my book.

What sitting on a yoga ball does for me:

• Reminds me to sit tall.
• Reminds me to pull my tummy in. (Very important.) Always working the core!
• Helps to adjust/align my spine. I’m always striving for ways to keep my back/spine healthy.
• Relieves my back pain. I don’t have that nagging pain in my lower back when I’m done sitting anymore. I get up… and back feels great!
• My abs feel stronger.
• My low back feels stronger.
• I’ve always had good posture, but the ball makes sure I do!
• Keeping my body in motion is important to me, and this does just that!
• I prefer sitting on a yoga ball now to a standard “office” chair. Or really any chair for that matter. I guess you can say it’s more comfortable.
• No tailbone pain. I cracked mine a few years back. Owie. Long story…
• My hips feel stronger. I don’t get that painful “pop” in them as often as I did. And really as I type this now, I can’t remember the last time that happened.
• If you know me, you know I like doing things that have more than one benefit. If I must sit (computer work) then I want to exercise!
• Not using a standard chair, I can stretch my arms behind me periodically.
• My neck and shoulders are more relaxed and I feel the tension is much, much better.
• Even though I am moving on a yoga ball, I still stand by my “standing up” every 15-20 minutes thing I do. I will do jumping jacks, squats, or even sit-ups and push-ups using the yoga ball. Check out Dr. Mercola’s post here on sitting too long.
• I am more awake/alert. And that’s important especially if I’m doing research on a topic I find boring.
• And most of all, it makes me happy!

See how-to on lamp and desk.

Happy is good! We all have challenges, constant obstacles that get us down, but it’s up to us to get up, challenge those challenges and push those obstacles out-of-the-way. Sometimes as I work, a sad thought will creep into my mind and I know I can’t do a thing about that sad thought…I start bouncing on the yoga ball, almost as if I’m on a trampoline, and well, the sad is still there, but deeper in the back of my mind. In the midst of bouncing, the endorphins go up and I can actually find my smile again.

So if challenges and obstacles are pushing at you…push back!

Hugs to all my Awesomenesses!

Peace, Koko ❤

Get Fabulous Buns!

Ways to sneak in exercise throughout your day without much effort…tip number (7)

You brush your teeth everyday? Well hopefully…hehehe, This is what I do; I do leg lifts; called-standing reverse leg lifts or reverse leg raise (lifting that leg behind you). Great for the be-hind!  I don’t know about you but my butt can always use a lift and this is a great way to achieve that.  Stand tall and simply extend your leg behind you.  You know you are doing it right, when you feel the bottom of your glutes tighten.  What I do so I don’t have to count is I do one leg then the other.  So I do right leg for one rep then left leg for one rep and back and forth.  I do them until I am done brushing, about two minutes.  Need more of a challenge?  I will hold each rep up for one or two pumps, then I switch sides.  This I feel gets in the muscle deeper for a nice burn!  Give it a try and let me know what you think.  Easy to do while brushing teeth , washing dishes, watching t.v., waiting to flip those yummy burgers on the grill.  I do this while on computer too.  In fact, I’m doing them now!  Extra bonus: Not only is it fantastic for lifting the butt, it works low abs and low back.  Love that!

Ways to sneak in exercise without much effort…(3)

Ready to watch that show you DVR’d?  While you sit (back straight), extend your legs out and flex your toes (point towards your body).  Tighten leg muscles and suck in your abs.  Hold for as long as you can.  Try lifting legs just an inch higher several times for however long, keeping legs extended, and really pull that tummy in!  Do as many as you can throughout your show!  Great shaper for legs and abs!  I have a counter next to my computer and I’m on my fifteenth set!  If I can do it you can do it!  Let’s stay in shape together!

I’m going to give you tons of exercise ideas while watching t.v.-or-sitting.  Stay tuned!

Ways to sneak in exercise throughout your day without much effort…(1)

On computer a lot?  Make your body move, burn calories, tone up those muscles, with not much of an effort; well at least your brain won’t think so, because while you are engaging your brain playing games, chatting with friends, reading my blog 🙂 , your body will be engaging in getting fit.  Give it a try. You may find you enjoy it.  And frankly, your body will thank you, and so will everyone watching you walk around in those cute jeans!  Here’s what you do: Find a tall surface like a bar, kitchen countertop, or a desk made for standing.  You don’t even need a tall surface.  As I am typing this; (I’m at my desk.)  I simply pushed my chair out of the way and am doing side to side leg lifts.  I don’t bother counting repetitions.  I go back and forth from leg to leg until the muscles burn and then I take about a twenty-second break and do it again.   As you surf the net you can be walking in place, doing squats, kick backs, or side to side leg lifts.  You can work more than just your legs; try bicep curls, triceps kick backs, shoulder raises, shoulder presses…the exercises you can do while you peruse the net is almost limitless.  So get off your butt and get moving.  If you need more hints on the exercises you can do, shoot me a comment, or just look out for more posts.  Here’s to being sneaky…sneaking in exercises, burning calories, getting fitter, feeling good! Wishing you great health! Koko

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