When I worked in an office, I was that girl who pushed her swivel chair away in favor of sitting on an exercise ball. To be honest, I don't know that I noticed a huge difference, but I actually found it to be really comfy and kind of fun. The only problem was when I'd get up from my desk -- it would roll away and get in the way, which is totally embarrassing if you're talking to a customer. Trust me.

Gaiam has come up with a solution -- the BalanceBall Chair, which, according to their website, "combines exercise and fitness with comfort and ergonomic support for an affordable price." At $99, it is pretty affordable, especially when you consider the fact that you'll get use out of it every day at work!

But how does it improve your fitness level? Well, for one thing, just sitting on a ball, rather than a flat seat, engages your core. Holding yourself straight requires all of the muscles through your core to remain active, whereas with a comfy seat, you might be inclined to slouch down. But that's not all.
You know how you're always trying to figure out how to incorporate exercise into your daily routine? This makes it easy. When you have five minutes before a meeting, or you're on the listening end of a boring-as-hell conference call, you can work in a few crunches, or even just stretch your back.

From experience, I can tell you that you might get a few funny looks from co-workers, but once they finish making faces, chances are good they'll want to give it a try. The BalanceBall Chair comes with a desktop guide to get you started on your workplace fitness.