Who remembers "Sit and Be Fit"?

My mom and I used to make fun of the PBS show, “Sit and Be Fit” when I was little—but looking back I think they were on to something other than preventing muscle atrophy and the risk of injury in the elderly.

Although I’m finally back to walking after five weeks of post-surgery downtime, I’m really itching to get back to weights, yoga and tennis, of course. (I see my plastic surgeon in 11 days and I’m hoping to get full clearance then.) In the meantime, I’m getting a jump on my abs (and posture) with Gaiam’s Balance Disc. Basically a seat cushion that looks like a smaller, tush-sized Bosu Ball (minus the hard, flat, plastic side), I’m here to tell you that the instability really fires up your muscles and improves your posture from the second you sit down.

That was enough of a sell for me, but then I found a list of exercises when I was unboxing it—and I wish my mom could see me re-enacting “Sit and Be Fit” at my desk. I’ve started with single and double leg lifts as well as back arches—and I bet I could dig up a ton of others with a little searching.

Of course the disc can be used on the floor to make squats and lunges more challenging (without even leaving my office), and this is a much more productive work break than heading into the kitchen and getting a snack. Now all I need to do it strap on my Bala Bands and get once of those pedalers for under my desk and I can be working out all day.

A few words to the wise: DO NOT attempt to sit on the Balance Disc with a silky skirt on. I made this mistake and slid right off my chair onto the floor—just as my husband and son walked in after basketball practice. I believe my husband’s exact words were, “How many drinks did you have when we were gone?”