Dr. Stefan Zavalin: How To Move More Throughout The Workday (Even 30 Seconds Breaks Are Awesome!)

“I’m not asking you to go do a workout. Just go move.” I welcome Dr. Stefan Zavalin, a movement enthusiast and work culture consultant, to the show for an informative discussion about the extremely important lifestyle objective of moving around more throughout the day. In this episode, you’ll learn about all the different ways our work culture and environment affects our physiology, as well as the most productive and efficient ways of breaking up periods of prolonged sitting. You’ll find out why it’s important to move every 20 minutes and why taking a short break for as little as even 30 seconds is still an effective practice, as well as the value of performing twisting movements to counteract the effects that come from sitting (and even standing!) at a desk. As I’ve mentioned before, there are countless benefits to taking movement breaks throughout the day, as it improves your blood flow, cognitive function, glucose tolerance, and insulin sensitivity. Dr. Stefan also describes in detail the ideal structure of a work day for someone who works from home, and takes us through his journey of completing a Doctorate in Physical Therapy while becoming legally blind, and explains how his company, Love to Move, aims to address the sedentary aspects of work culture and how we should evolve our desk jobs. TIMESTAMPS: This physical therapist is frustrated because so many patients keep returning for the same ailments. [01:32] First thing is to wake up in the morning and move! Then all day long, move your body every twenty minutes. [02:15] Where you work is so important. The desk area at the office as well as at home, need to be adjusted. [05:46] Our culture encourages us to sit rather than move. [07:11] The world average for the number of hours people sit is about 12 hours per day whereas in the US, it is more like 15 hours a day of sitting! [09:06] The goal should be to get movement every 20 minutes. Use your glutes. [11:22] To counter damage caused by sitting, just go move. Make sure you are twisting. [18:03] Rather than saying “move more,” try saying “sit less.” [27:21] It is very important for employers to support your compliance with healthier activities. [28:59] If you feel like you need to take a break, you probably should have taken in a while ago. [38:08] Know that any position is helpful as long as it is not maintained for long periods of time. [39:03] We are told to stop fidgeting when we are children, but fidgeting is our body telling us it wants to move. [42:10] How long should a person hold stretches? [44:55] The benefits of moving as soon as you arise from bed are more productivity, helping bone health, and blood circulation. [45:44] Parents need to be sure their kids are getting movement. Some schools today are neglecting this important part of their purpose. {48:49] Stefan had to deal with some health challenges while he was learning to be a physical therapist. [53:27] LINKS: Brad’s Shopping page Stefan Zavalin _LovetoMove_ Brad’s Morning Routine You, the Owner's Manual QUOTES: “A movement break and exercise are not the same thing.” “As best as you can, wake up, and go move. You’ve been lying down for six, seven, eight hours – just get up and move.” “Movement doesn’t have to be only exercise. I love using chores as movement, because then I get something done.” Join Brad for more fun on: Instagram: @bradkearns1 Facebook: @bradkearnsjumphigh Twitter: @bradleykearns YouTube: @BradKearns We appreciate all feedback, and questions for Q&A shows, emailed to getoveryourselfpodcast@gmail.com . If you have a moment, please share an episode you like with a quick text message, or leave a review on your podcast app. Thank you! Check out each of these companies because they are absolutely awesome or they wouldn’t occupy this revered space. Seriously, Brad won’t sell out to anyone if he doesn’t love the product. Ask anyone. Brad’s Macadamia Masterpiece: Mind-blowing, life-changing nut butter blend Male Optimization Formula with Organs (MOFO): Optimize testosterone naturally with 100% grassfed animal organ supplement Chili Sleep Systems: Temperature controlled mattress systems for optimizing evening sleep Dry Farm Wines: Clean, keto-friendly, chemical free wines like no other Primal Blueprint 21-Day Primal Reset: Online multimedia Mastery Course to get healthy and drop fat the right way Donations ! This free podcast offering is a team effort from Brad, Daniel, Siena, Gail, TJ, Vuk, RedCircle, our awesome guests, and our incredibly cool advertising partners. We are now poised and proud to double dip by both soliciting a donation and having you listen to ads! If you wanna cough up a few bucks to salute the show, we really appreciate it and will use the funds wisely for continued excellence. Go big (whatever that means to you…) and we’ll send you a free jar of Brad’s Macadamia Masterpiece as a thank you! Email to alert us! Choose to donate now , later , or never. Either way, we thank you for choosing from the first two options! :] Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.