Have you ever come home from an 8-hour day of sitting behind a desk feeling like you've just been hit by a dump truck? It really doesn't make much sense does it? After all, you didn't do anything today... except sit there typing on your keyboard and mousing around.

You may feel tired but at the same time you're not tired. Perhaps a better way to describe your feelings is restless. You have a stiff neck, tired shoulders, a headache, and don't feel like doing anything when you get home. When it's time to go to bed you don't go to sleep right away. Instead your restless feelings prevent you from getting the sleep you need.

The tired feelings you're experiencing certainly are different than the kind of tiredness you have on the weekends when you have more time for your "therapy" chores: mindless tasks that require you to move your feet. Mowing the lawn, gardening, painting, and washing the car are examples.

When your weekend day is over you feel tired but it's a good tired feeling. Not the funky tired feeling you had when you spent the day at the office. And when you go to bed you fall into a deep asleep right away. In the morning you feel recharged and ready to do it all over again.

This article is Part I of III where we will discuss muscular-skeletal loading associated with sitting. In the first part we will investigate why sitting is really against our genetic programming. In the Part II we will discuss what you can do to mitigate the effects of too much sitting. Finally, in Part III we will identify corrective measures that are designed to offset the mal-effects of too much sitting.

Think you know the answer? Send it in. If you're correct you will be listed as a Desk Jockey Wizard in next month's newsletter. We will also send you a 10 percent discount coupon towards the purchase of either a Duraball Pro exercise ball or an ADC Diagnostic 700 Series blood pressure cuff.

The answer will be published in next month's newsletter along with any Wizards out there.

Some clients have sophisticated fitness centers in their home that include commercial grade treadmills and elliptical machines, Olympic free weights and dumbbells, benches and specialized weight stack machines.

Other clients have nothing. In some respects, working with clients that have no equipment is easier than those that already have a functioning in-home fitness center... We're starting out with a blank sheet of paper!

For most clients, we can create high impact workouts by simply using a small set of dumbbells, a high quality Swiss ball, and an exercise mat.

We've written a "white paper" called Move It, Use It, Lose It: A Transformation Success Plan for Total Fitness at Home. This paper contains detailed information that can help freshly minted fitness enthusiasts get the right equipment that will allow them to have high impact workouts requiring a minimal amount of space and financial commitment.

Trying to get in shape for spring break or the summer pool scene? How about the upcoming wedding or class reunion? If you're not a regular exerciser already, but you've tried to be in the past, chances are real good that you will not make it past mid-February this year either... unless you take the steps necessary to ensure the longevity of your workouts.

1. Don't try exercises that are too difficult. Trying to do too much too soon is fitness suicide. In the best-case scenario you'll feel too sore to do your next workout. If you really go overboard you may end up getting injured.

2. Don't worry if you don't have time to spend an hour working out. Most people don't need to spend an hour anyway. If you're just starting out 30 minutes is enough to make a difference. Don't have 30 spare minutes? Than 10 minutes is just fine. Besides, once you get on a roll you'll probably cruise to 15, 20 or even the 30 minutes you thought you didn't have.

3. After you exercise you're ALWAYS glad you did it. Have you ever reflected: "Gee, I wish I didn't exercise today"? Remember your answer when you don't feel like getting started.

4. Give your body ample rest between workouts. The old adage "no pain, no gain" is nonsense. Too much pain is not gaining, it is draining. When you exercise you are breaking down muscle tissues. The pain you feel 1-2 days after a workout is called the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). When you're experiencing the DOMS your muscles are being repaired. It is the repair process that will make you stronger, not the actual exercises.

5. Journal your activities. Writing down your accomplishments will make you think about your progress, solidify your goals, and help motivate you when you don't feel like moving. In the near future you'll look back at your journal and realize how much you've progressed.

6. Think short term. Take it one day at a time. If your focus is on how you'll look in six months you will not make it three weeks. Two months is too long; one month is too long. Focus on today and enjoy the journey. If you stick to your program good things will come your way.

7. Find a workout partner. Nothing is more motivating on those days that you don't feel like getting started than having your partner show up at your door in workout garb. You'll also work harder.

8. Eat Smart. Before you pop that 300-calorie donut in your mouth think about how long it will take to burn those 300 calories on a treadmill. Is that donut really worth 30 minutes of your sweat equity?

9. Drink plenty of water. Before, during and after the workout.

10. And now for the shameless plug... If you've tried all of the above and you still drift from your plan, find a good trainer.