Lizard sitting so much a pigeon sits on it
Be not afraid of going slowly; be afraid only of standing still. ~Chinese Proverb
Some recent news on sitting reported in the New York Times will make some of you very happy, and some of you not-so-happy. You know that your body is meant to move and you exercise regularly since it's important for your health. Awesome. Well, it turns out your body is REALLY meant to move. Extended periods of sitting cause muscular change that can lead to heart disease, diabetes, and other bad stuff. Your body shuts down at a metabolic level, and exercise doesn't undo it.
How do we know this? Scientists recently parsed some data from a study on men's exercise habits in 1982 (done by researchers affiliated with the Cooper Institute in Dallas), and they found that men who spent more than 23 hours a week watching TV or sitting in their cars had a 64% greater chance if dying from heart disease than men who sat 11 hours a week or less. Even active exercisers didn't get a pass.
Recent animal studies show that mice or rats who aren't allowed to move around normally quickly develop unhealthy cellular change.
Adults spend 9+ hours per day in sedentary activities: work, commuting, playing video games, reading, Internetting, watching videos.
You've got to move your body or lose it! Fidgeters are delighted by this news. For those that like to couch potato it or sit in front of a computer for hours, you have to strategize a little. The good thing is that you can counteract sitting by adding as much movement into your day as you can.
What to do - Move Your Body
- Exercise. Even though sitting is bad, it's still important to exercise.
- Identify the times that you spend time sitting. It might be at work, commuting, or watching TV.
- Try to get up once or twice an hour when sitting to pace around. Set an alarm. You can also get a desk that allows you to stand instead of sit.
- Combine TV watching with household chores. "Home activities" like cleaning, straightening, and changing lightbulbs require more energy than sitting.
- Make your commute active. Walk or bike to work and to do chores. Stand on the train. Park as far away from the entrance as possible.
Want to learn more?
What I ate: blueberries, cherries, strawberries, tomatos, 24 oz. coconut water, 16 oz. vegetable juice, milk, acai juice, Raw Milk Cheddar NYCheese, mahon cheese, whole wheat fusilli+heirloom tomatoes+garlic scape+basil+parmesan, Mindful Mix (macadamias, almonds, walnuts, goji berries, cranberries), 4 slice dried mangos, Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip ice cream, 40 oz. waterExercise: Ran 8 miles
