It's an old saying that idle hands are the devil's tools. But idle bodies are even worse. Sitting for long periods of time increases your risk of obesity, heart attack, diabetes, depression or even death.

Many scientists are working hard to define the effects of sedentary living on our bodies and set guidelines for how to limit the flat line effect of an eight-hour sitting-day.

One important way is an all-day activity called non-exercise thermo genesis, which just means burning as many calories as you can while doing everyday activities. As a mother, doctor and gatekeeper of mobility, I give my family and patients these five tips to become movers and shakers.