Calves - Your Second Heart

Your calves are often called your second heart. When they contract, they squeeze the deep veins in your legs and push blood back toward your heart, a job that only happens when you move. The soleus, the muscle hidden under the calf, does a lot of the work. In one study, seated calf raises (done continuously) burned about two-thirds as many calories as walking. Those same movements also pulled blood sugar out of circulation, so the blood sugar and insulin spike after a meal was about 50% and 60% lower than sitting still.

You don't need a gym to start. Walk more, even just around the block. Break up long stretches of sitting every 30 minutes. If you're stuck in a meeting or on a plane, do seated calf raises under the table. Nobody can tell. Then, once a week or so, train your balance with single-leg stands and small nudges, because strong calves and steady balance are what keep you on your feet as you age. Start small and keep at it.