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.

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Here's a good case for splurging on your exercise ball: 40-year-old Adam Dunayer was severely injured when the stability ball he was lying on suddenly burst. Adam had a 60-lb weight in each had and was preparing to do a bench press when the ball broke; he hit the ground elbows-first and ended up breaking both of his arms. Now he's got long scars on each arm and has to undergo painful physical therapy to re-learn how to do simple, everyday tasks like opening a bottle.

According to fitness equipment experts, it's natural for exercise balls to wear out over time. But that doesn't mean you should let this happen to you. When you buy a ball for your home, make sure you buy a quality anti-burst one, and replace it after a few years. Watch this video for more tips.

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For the weekly Workplace Fitness feature here at That's Fit I've covered all kinds of ways to be healthy and get some exercise while at work, including everything from moves you can do at your desk to cardio you can do if you have a more private office. But something that's important to remember (and why the above clip is so hilarious!) is that you really need to keep your coworkers in mind and not let yourself become a distraction or annoyance to them. Yes, health is important, but huffing and puffing next to a coworker on this gadget (or on an exercise ball either for that matter!) is so not cool.

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Exercise balls, or stability balls, have been around for awhile but many people don't know what to do with them. The benefit of working out on a stability ball versus a weight-bench is the extra energy and muscles your body uses to keep still because the ball wants to roll around (with you on it, wee!). It's up to your core muscles to keep you balanced and stabilized, and therefore what was just for the upper-body becomes a whole-body exercise.

Good news for beginners -- stability balls are adjustable to difficulty level by how much you inflate them. If you're worried about rolling off and landing awkwardly on the floor, simply under-inflate your ball to a level that's more comfortable. Then you can add more air as you progress week by week.

Chris Freytag, with Prevention magazine, has created a stability ball workout adjustable from beginner to veteran, as well as some general pointers for people just getting started.

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