The human body was designed to move, and for thousands of years that’s exactly what humans did. But starting in the early 1970’s, we started to see a progressive incline in the overweight and obese population, largely attributed to the increasing rise in technological advances… mainly the television, computer, and transportation.
As time went on, technology did more of the heavy lifting, and people became increasingly sedentary. Fast forward to the present day, and we humans are experiencing a huge rise in deaths stemming from symptoms associated with minimal physical activity: increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels — that make up metabolic syndrome. This phenomenon has been coined the Sitting Disease by the scientific community.
An analysis of 13 studies of sitting time and activity levels found that those who sat for more than eight hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to the risks of dying posed by obesity and smoking. With that being said, it’s a common misconception that getting the recommended 30 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous exercise a week absolves you from the risks of too much sitting.
While getting daily exercise is certainly a good thing, this has been proven untrue. However, studies have found that 3 minutes of movement every 30 minutes is more beneficial for fighting against the adverse effects of sitting. Set a timer to remind you to get up and move around every 30 minutes… do some push ups, take a brisk walk around the block, or do some air squats. Low intensity “non-exercise” activities like standing and walking play a crucial metabolic role and account for more our daily energy expenditure than moderate to high intensity activities.
I recently attended a 3-day fitness conference in which I was sitting for upwards of 8-10 hours a day – quite a change for someone who’s on her feet for an average of 14 hours a day! In just those few days I noticed a substantial increase in stiffness and discomfort in my low back, hips, and upper back… in just 3 days! It got me thinking of what the average desk jockey must be feeling, or may even be immune to since they have been experiencing that sensation day in and day out for years. Which made me feel compelled to express the sheer importance of getting movement into your daily routine wherever you can, and to not just solely rely on the 30-60 minutes of structured exercise.
With that in mind, I compiled a list of some easy ways to incorporate more light movement and exercise into your daily routine:
- Alternate between sitting and standing every 30 minutes. This is where a standing desk is soooo crucial.
- Stand while talking on the phone or watching television.
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Walk with your colleagues for meetings rather than sitting in a conference room.
- Park further away from the entrance.
- Use a pedometer and strive for 10,000 steps each day.
- Take a short walk after every meal, even if it’s just 10 minutes.
- Walk to the farthest restroom from your work station.
- Prioritize walks with the family, the dog, friends, make a daily walk a part of your life.
- During commercial breaks while watching a show or sporting event do squats, push ups, crunches, etc.
- Ride your bike or walk whenever possible to run errands, get to work, meet friends, etc.
All the small things can add up, and are just as important as a structured exercise session. In fact, just standing for an extra 3 hours a day can burn up to 30,000 calories over the course of a year – that’s equal to 8 pounds of fat! So get off your butt, go for a walk, do some air squats and ask your boss for a standing desk, it can be the one simple act you can make towards improving your health and well-being. And if you think your boss needs more convincing send them to this website: https://www.juststand.org/. Remind them that a healthy employee is a productive employee (not to mention happier and more energetic).
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