The Hip & Healthy Office Chair

As I mentioned in a previous post, I use a stability ball as my office chair, and I love it. Since I brought my first ball into work, I’ve received mixed reactions from my employers. My current boss is surprisingly delighted by the ball. Her appreciation is unique. In most cases, my ball has been tolerated at best, regarded as one more example of my charming nuttiness. I’ve used a stability ball as an office chair for a few years now, and it never fails to create a stir.Why, you ask, do I sit on a ball? If you’ve been reading this blog, you know that since beginning my lifestyle change five years ago, I’ve been mindful of fitness, teaching myself as much as possible about how to get in – and stay in – shape. Sitting on a stability ball not only enhances your posture. (It’s hard to slouch while on the ball!) It also builds core strength and balance. Another plus: the ball with a set of weights nearby means an impromptu, muscle-toning workout can be had at any time of the day.

I’ve owned four balls, the first of which was purple. It met its demise when it ran headlong into a pushpin. Irreparable damage ensued in the form of an initially slow leak. I found myself wondering why my keyboard kept getting further and further away from me. Once the gaping wound was discovered, a friend and I made valiant efforts to heal the ailing sphere, to the point of extensive bandaging with duct tape. Unfortunately, our salvage attempts were in vain, and the first ball was sadly laid to rest in the break room trash can.

The next ball was an industrial gray behemoth that I had gotten as part of my Core Secrets workout package. It was superbly functional but too ugly to remain as part of my office furniture. So, when I started work at new company, I willed the “must look away” ball to a co-worker who was more concerned about it being free than it being easy on the eyes. I replaced the ‘Gray Monster’ with a pink and orange tie-dye ball. At first, the bright color appealed to me, but as time went on, it became garish. When the opportunity came for me to move on to my next job, I willed the ‘Bright Bouncer’ to another co-worker and picked up Ball No. 4.

The current ball is a trendy opalescent white. It’s mod and strikes the perfect note of corporate cool. The best part, though, is that it’s the ideal backdrop for my colorful outfits. So I look chic and trendy while developing my abs. Fit and fashion-forward… can there be anything better?