Are you sick and tired of doing exercise you hate hoping to see weight loss?
We've all heard that in order to lose weight we need to be more active, but what if I told you that doesn't always have to look like a 45 minute sweat session that you constantly dread? If you're not a big fan of exercise, keep reading!
Weight Loss Tip #24 - Sit Less Stand More
Let me be clear, I'm not suggesting that we skip regularly scheduled exercise. I simply want to make the point that it's not all about what you do in that 30-60 minute time period that is going to impact the scale or your overall health.
It has been estimated that, on average, Americans sit for 10 hours per day. Add the 7-8 hours (hopefully) per day that we spend sleeping and you quickly see the issue that arises. With the increase in desk jobs and sedentary work, Americans are sitting more and moving less. During this past year of working from home, zoom meetings, remote access and decreased in-person interaction we are sitting even more.
What's the danger?
Sedentary lifestyles increase risk of overweight/obesity, development of type 2 diabetes or heart disease, and depression and anxiety.
Our human bodies were designed to stand up right. Our organs like out heart and lungs as well as our cardiovascular and digestive systems work better when we are in an upright position. Sitting too much can impact our circulation and digestion.
Sitting also negatively impacts our energy levels, endurance and bone/muscle strength. Sitting with poor posture can also lead to back/neck pain and tightness in the hips.
Tips for sitting less
- Take the stairs or at least walk up the escalator
- Walk over to your colleague instead of sending an email
- Take your lunch break away from your desk and enjoy a short walk outdoors, if possible
- Ask your co-workers to walk and talk for a meeting or before/after work for accountability
- Move your shredding pile or trash bin further from your desk
- Use a headset or speaker phone for phone calls and stand or pace during calls
- Park further from your destination and walk the extra distance
- When possible, listen to books or podcasts while walking, cleaning or working in the garden instead of sitting to read
Now, I want to be clear - these changes are not going to bring about the fast (unsustainable) weight loss of a restrictive diet, but in the long term there are tremendous health benefits. I heard it said once that "you can't undo a sedentary lifestyle with exercise" I strongly agree with this statement. One 45 minute workout is not going to reverse 8+ hours of sitting. Risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease increase significantly with more hours of sitting. One study showed as much as a 10-15% increase in risk with each hour of sitting!
My challenge for you this week is to sit less and move more! Find small ways to stand or walk more during your free time or during hours at the office. Utilize your smart watch or a phone app to help remind you to stand up more. Perhaps look at how many steps you get in a day, on average, and set a goal of increasing your steps by 400-500 steps per day.
I'm here for you and I believe in you!
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