Friday April 3rd 2026 "Have YOU tried standing up at YOUR workplace? The results are amazing, says a new study !!!"

Yes, Friends, have YOU tried one of those new 'standing desks' at YOUR workplace? The results are amazing, according to a new study, and so much effective than a conventional workout, that's for sure!

Onion News has more....

Worth considering isn't it!

And reading the study's results here in semi-rural, over-leafy Liphook, Hampshire this morning brings a quiet chuckle to the faces of me and of Lois, my wife of 54 years, as we take our near-daily walk over the "hallowed turf" of local soccer heroes Liphook United, to put it mildly!

flashback to this morning: my wife Lois and I take our near-daily walk,

which today takes us over the 'hallowed turf' of local soccer heroes Liphook United,

with (right) Lois testing me on the names of flowers: 'bluebells' in this case - easy peasy!!

Let me put my cards on the table at this point! [I wish you wouldn't keep doing that, Colin! - Ed]

Lois and I have actually been retired for 20 years, so we're pleasantly immune from 'workplace fads and fancies' (!), although in fact we've busier than we've ever been, would you believe! "How did we ever find the time to go to work back in the day?", has become almost our daily mantra, which is mad!!

The fact is, however, that, even after 20 years, we still haven't established a fixed daily workout routine, although we're more than willing to watch younger people doing theirs, whether it's in the football club carpark with a fitness trainer, or just a young couple practising their "moves" on the deserted pitch - see pictures below, if you want 'chapter and verse' !!!

during our near-daily walk today, my wife Lois and I somehow find time to watch some of

the younger folks 'pumping iron' (and other things!) in the car-park and on the deserted pitch

I don't think that any records for fitness or endurance are being broken today, but I'm proud to note that the local birds have stepped up to produce a tally of the most different birdsongs - twelve, would you believe! - that Lois and I have ever heard on this football field, since our records began 15 months ago, which is a nice achievement for us - and another PB (personal best), no question about that ! 

[You lazy so-and-so's, Colin ! - Ed]

14:00 Phew - quite a tiring morning of us, that's for sure! And, "gluttons for punishment" (!), after lunch, we even postpone our afternoon in bed to watch some more people doing workouts in a fascinating programme from the "Just One Thing Team" (Roman Kemp, Zoe Ball and Clive Myrie) about so-called "easy exercise", "eccentric" exercise, or "reverse-moves exercising", which is nice.

Who knew that it's better training for your muscles to walk downstairs than to walk upstairs? Or that it's better to exercise by sitting yourself down than by standing up? And lowering your weights is better than lifting them up, crazily! 

The key is to do it all slowly, apparently, and, because you don't get out of breath, you can do it for longer. And not only that, but, afterwards, the body somehow 'repairs' your tired muscles by making them stronger - it's totally mad, isn't it! 

And doing this kind of lower-intensity workout is not just making your muscles stronger, but also improving your bone density thus reducing your risk of fractures, and at the same time somehow managing to lower your blood-sugar levels. 

Also, it's good to 'lunge' whenever you can, e.g. when you're stooping to send a bowling ball down the alley to knock over some skittles. Or when on your feet, to just raise your heels, and then putting them down again really really slowly. Or standing and pushing against a wall, that's another one!!!! What madness, isn't it !!!!

And to do these exercises, you don't need to get a gym membership and you can even wear your normal clothes! You just have to remember not to overdo it - to start slowly, vary the muscles you're working on, and to build your 'workout' up gradually, over the weeks and months.

16:00 Phew! Lois and I feel quite exhausted after watching all these youngsters - and even the "old codgers" on that TV programme (!) - all doing their workouts, even the so-called "easy" ones!!!!

So, after we get out of bed (!), it's nice to indulge ourselves on the couch with some special Easter hot cross buns that Lois somehow found time to make earlier today - kudos, Lois !!!!!

(above) flashback to this morning: Lois makes some hot cross buns for Easter,

and (below, right) me sampling one of those buns on the couch this afternoon - yum yum!

Lois also somehow finds time to distribute chocolate Easter bunnies to all seven kids in our little cul-de-sac, and later we get a very sweet and very appreciative, home-made Easter card from little Iris next door, which is nice!

[And when are YOU going to get off your backside and do something, Colin?! Just saying!!! - Ed]

(above, left) Lois delivering two chocolate Easter bunnies to mum-of-two Rachel 

across the street, and (below) the sweet home-made card from little Iris next door

Awwwww, bless !!!!!

Will this do?

[Oh just go to bed! - Ed]

22:00 We go to bed - zzzzzzzz!!!!!