Sitting…
…it’s been compared to smoking.
…it’s being called the most underrated health – threat of modern times.
…research exists that shows inactivity now kills more people than smoking.
If you were paying attention, did you catch the word change in that last line? Inactivity. It’s the inactivity of sitting that is harming us. Let’s break it down.
General movement is utterly important for the body. We know that exercise, or physical activity, is essential for maintaining our body, boosts our energy, improves our mood, builds muscles, help control our weight and combats health conditions and diseases. It also increase oxygen to the brain which could enhance our ability to learn. That is a huge amount of benefits for basic moving!
So what happens when we sit (or are inactive)? We fatigue easier. Our muscles and endurance begin to weaken; our muscle tissue breaks down (muscle atrophy.) Our heart begins to atrophy as well and doesn’t get oxygen to the cells. Blood vessels become thicker and less flexible while the blood get stickier (increasing risk for blood clots.) Our muscle cells don’t use as much insulin and can lead to type 2 diabetes. We don’t sleep as well either….. and we could go on and on.
So how do we fight an inactive lifestyle? That is where standing comes into play. Just by standing more each day, you can tone muscles, increase blood flow, ramp up your metabolism and even improve your posture.
I didn’t start out by purchasing a fancy standing desk, but you could! I simply stocked a few boxes under my desk and placed them under my computer when I wanted to stand. Now, most of the time I work standing at my kitchen counter, only sitting when I really want to or when I need total focus.
Here are a few other great ways to stand, move, or just get more physical activity in your day:
Stand during commercials when you watch tv.
Set a timer at work and take a lap around the office every 20, 30 or 60 minutes. Comment below and tell me how you are going to be more active in your day!
Happy moving or standing,
~Monique