A New Throne for the Cyber Queen

No, this is not my new office chair. I like to sit on my Swiss Ball occasionally. Dynamic sitting, moving the lower spine,
in every direction, not leaning to the seat-back. A swiss ball is a healthy and not uncomfortable alternative to an office chair. - But not for too long. Last week I had to experience, that it can get pretty hard after some hours, and really cold. One cannot be in the slight movement that comes naturally with sitting on a ball constantly and sitting still, the surface you contact is quite small, besides, it cannot be warmed up by the body temperature.

Well, why should anyone want to try this out.... I sure had not planned this, but....

The other day I sat down in front of my screen, when suddenly the seat sagged down and I tilted with the chair. Of course this was impossible, an office chair with 5 feet cannot tilt. Luckily it went slow and not straight backwards, so I could grab a hold before I had sorted that out.

It had happened, because the leg was a straight cylinder, that could slide easily through the mounting plate, after the bottom had broken out. Actually the usual office built like this, such feature is often neglected; so even a well stability-tested office chair can tilt, when the bottom lid breakes out, worn by time and turning movement.- so much about office security. - Well, with my new chair this cannot happen anymore. The lower end of the cylinder is narrowing and thus supported by the entire mounting plate.

So I had thought, until I got a new one, I could use the swiss ball some days - not such a good Idea, even with a blanket over it. But a normal chair is not much better, one realizes soon, the ability to move and turn, adjust and change the backrest, is necessary.

Modern office chairs have also movable seats, slightly diagonally downward to the front, which is good for the knees and venes. - Better still for the venes is, if possible, put the legs up on a stool under the desk, though this is not very comfortable for a long time. -

I even saw chairs with seats swinging sideways and rocking in all directions, but this is not for me, my husband tried it too and said he'd get seasick - one probably would on the long run, lol.

While using the computer for hours, you should alternate between times with more movement and times when you sit still deliberately.

Like in the picture below, the angle of the backrest should be changed occasionally, and it is important to actually rest your back against it, specially the upper part as well, to sit straight.

Also a headrest is not superflouus, when you are tall. So you can on an anatomically correct chair, which follows the natural form of the spine, press the whole back against the rest and straighten it.

When you neglect to do so, the upper back will get round and stay round, sooner or later.

An office chair for too frequent use must be well tested before purchase, to make sure the back rest supports the back correctly in the correct places and is adjustable in hight. The support for the lumbar region must be exactly at the small of the back and almost always in contact.
All in all, the backrest of the chair in the picture is not bad, but a more complete one and higher one is better for long sitting. (which you should not do anyways, but that is another subject.)

The material is not unimportant, it should be strong, but breathable, (which does not mean such a cool chair in modern net optic is better than an upholstered one - after coming to know this on my Swissball, I guess it would be a pretty cool experiene with another meaning, if the slightest draft should occur.)

The Armrests - I always hated to have them, because one could never really rest the arms on them, they are usually too far down, even if adjustable. But when they can be brought high enough, meaning the hight of the desk, it is indeed a big advantage for wrists and shoulders.

So much about my new office chair for now. - I will show it when I've conquerd some small technical problems and make some short videos about how to exercise in front of the computer.

Slimming is not just about Weightloss

In fact, one can get some (dress) sizes slimmer and even gain weight. How is this?
Muscles (and bones), the Lean Body Mass , are heavier than fat. So a lean, muscular body can be heavier than a fat one.

Am I Overweight?

Grossly you can do some sums to find this out by comparing your weight and your size very simply: Size minus 100 centimeters in kilograms is normal, ideal weight would be
170 cm ==> 70 kg ,  
for women:    15% less  ==>   59,5 kg
for men:      10% less ==>   63 kg

A bit more precise is the determination of the ideal weight  by the Body Mass Index (BMI), which indicates the body weight per square meter.

Below    18,5  kg/m²   is underweight
above    25,0 kg/m²  overweight.

Computation: 
A person of  1,70 m ==> 1,70 m x 1,70 m = 2,89 m²
Weight:  80 kg ==> 80 kg / 2,89 m²  ==> BMI  27,7 kg/m²
Weight:  70 kg ==> 70 kg / 2,89 m²  ==> BMI  24,2 kg/m²
Weight:  59 kg ==> 59 kg / 2,89 m²   ==> BMI  20,4 kg/m²
Weight:  50 kg ==> 50 kg / 2,89 m²  ==> BMI  17,3  kg/m²

Ideal for women:  22 kg/m², for men 24 kg/m²

(Now it's your turn - you will certainly find other numbers....
10 kg  =  22.05 lb ,  100 cm  =  39.37 in )

These figures can tell you grossly, whether you need indee to lose weight, or you have to do other things to get in shape - mostly more moving and at least slight training.

10 Things You Can Do To Lose Fat Without Even Trying

While browsing the net for further information about useful easy exercises to do at home or at the computer directly (and more correct English expressions, lol) I came across some articles by Nick Nilsson, the Vice-President of BetterU, Inc., an internet-based personal training company. He has been training for more than 14 years and has been a personal trainer for more than 8 years. He is the author of the training eBooks "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of", "Gluteus to the Maximus" and "Specialization Training" .

These eBooks are actually for body builders, but the basic principle is the same: Build muscles to burn fat. It is not primarily the weightloss which counts, but the firm shape of the body, loss of centimeters and inches (or gain, when you are a man, or when you are thin and weak).

Here is an overview of the ten most important topics to keep in shape in every-day life: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10 Things You Can Do To Lose Fat Without Even Trying

Fat loss doesn't have to be painful. Try these simple tips and you'll see just how easy it can be.

By Nick Nilsson

1. Eat smaller more frequent meals - not only is your metabolism boosted every time you eat something, your body can more efficiently process smaller meals. Instead of having 3 large meals in a day, try to break them up into 5 or 6 smaller meals.

2. Drink more water - regular water intake helps to flush away waste products in the body. Get at least six to eight 8 oz. glasses per day. An easy way to do this is to keep a water bottle handy and drink from it frequently.

3. Be inefficient - do you need to go to the kitchen to get a couple of things? Break it up into two trips even if you can do it in one. Being inefficient like this can easily double your activity level, burning calories without even trying.

4. Eat more protein - sources of protein include foods such as chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, lean red meats, etc. Your body burns more calories processing protein than either carbohydrates or fats. Protein also helps to support your muscle tissue, which burns calories all day long!

5. Take the stairs instead of the elevator - any time you can add in a little more physical activity, do it. This doesn't mean you need to slog up 20 flights of stairs. Even a flight or two done regularly will add up.

6. Don't let yourself get hungry - when you get hungry you will have a much greater tendency to overeat when you do finally get something to eat. As well, because your body is starting to go into starvation mode, it will be much more likely to hold onto whatever you give it.

7. Order small portions at restaurants - it's tough to order small french fries when "supersizing" your order is such a great "value." Take note, however, your real savings will occur in the calories that don't end up on your backside.

8. Eat more fiber - fiber is very filling. By eating more fiber you will find yourself full sooner. This feeling of fullness will last a long time as well.

9. Wait 20 minutes between servings - your brain takes at least 20 minutes to register that you're full. By waiting that long, you'll give your brain a chance to realize that you don't really need any more food.

10. Cheat on your diet - one thing I always make my clients promise is that they will cheat on their diet. The only thing I ask that they do is to cheat ONLY when they have planned to cheat. By planning when you are going to eat the foods you crave, you take back control of your eating habits.

This way you no longer "give in" to your cravings. You "reward yourself" for sticking to proper nutritional habits. Do this once or twice a week and you will feel far more in control of your eating.

In conclusion, if you follow even a few of these 10 easy tips in the long term, you will certainly notice a difference in your overall weight and health. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------