How To Fight Health Consequences Of A Sedentary Lifestyle

Modern-day physical inactivity is deeply rooted in our current lifestyle. We sit behind a desk at least eight hours a day. We sit during our commute and once again sit when we get home. The World Health Organization has even reported that 1 in 4 grownups is not active enough. This amount of inactivity can have devastating effects on our health. Sedentary behavior is being linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and obesity. So, it is up to us to take a proper look at our behavior and change it in favor of a different kind of lifestyle.

Let’s see how we can introduce movement to and throughout our sedentary workday:

Use your breaks wisely

Once we get immersed in our work, we forget that we have to stop at some point. This is why we should use our breaks wisely and try to move as much as we can. We can set a timer to remind us to move around for five minutes every hour. Instead of sitting during our phone conversations, we can do all the talking while we walk around the office. We can also introduce activity into our routine. For example, each time we get a text, we can do five repetitions of heel raises. You simply stand on your toes for a few seconds and go back to a normal position.. Whenever we get an email, we should just stand up. These suggestions will motivate us to move more and sit less.

Walk, walk, walk

According to the World Health Organization, our daily goal is to achieve 10.000 steps in a single day. Even though it sounds like an impossible feat, it is not. Firstly, let’s start counting. A pedometer is a helpful tool to count your steps. Almost every mobile phone has a pedometer, so check if your phone has one.

If not, you can always get a fitness tracker to help you log in those 10.000 steps. During your commute, get off one stop early and walk the rest of the way to your office. Do the same on your way home. Whenever you can, try using the stairs instead of an elevator. You can also schedule workday walks. Once you get home, Instead of an afternoon social media session, walk around the block. Implement our suggestion into your next workday, and reap the benefits of walking more.

 

Spend 150 minutes each week on deliberate exercise

The American Heart Association advises us to spend a minimum of 150 minutes a week on physical activity. If the first thought that pops into your mind is that you don’t have time for this, let’s put it differently, so you’ll change your mind. This amount of time can be broken down to just 3 trainings. If you exercise just three times a week for 50 minutes, you’ll achieve this recommended amount of activity a week. For the best results, pick an activity that activates the entire body, works on your core and back strength and improves your mobility. Pilates for beginners will help strengthen your whole body, improve your posture, alleviate any type of pain, boost your flexibility and joint mobility. You will see the benefits of this fitness program in no time and reduce health risks imposed by a sedentary lifestyle.

Change Your Workstation

Ultimately, we can introduce some changes to our office. Instead of a sitting desk, we can use a standing desk. Standing is better than sitting because it will improve our posture, reduce back pain and reduce the pressure off your lower back and neck.

Another alternative to sitting is a so-called active sitting and it requires a fitness ball that will serve as a seat. Basically, you sit on a fitness ball seat, which constantly forces you to improve your posture and stabilize it while forcing you to strengthen your core. It can also alleviate any back pain caused by inactivity.

The first thing we must do to fight against a sedentary lifestyle is to simply move and move a lot. Instead of inactivity, we should choose activity and fight the urge to sit, once the opportunity presents itself. Introducing these active changes to our lifestyle will improve our life for the better. Most importantly, it will reduce the risk of serious illnesses caused by inactivity. After we get used to achieving 10000 each day we will feel much better, lighter and more energised.