Do you eat a healthy diet
and exercise regularly but sit long hours each day at work? If so, you could be
undoing all your good work.
Sitting, even if you otherwise practice
healthy habits, is associated with poor cardiovascular health, higher
inflammation, and more belly fat, according to a 2011 Australian study. This is bad
news for the millions of Americans who must work at a desk. In fact, it can
feel downright insulting to learn that all our healthful efforts are being
thwarted by our jobs. Studies link prolonged sitting with
compromised metabolic health, higher risk of disease, and shorter life span.
Witness this cascade of ill effects:
Sadly, these risks remain regardless of
our physical activity level outside of work. Worst of all, these metabolic
changes don’t happen gradually, but instead swiftly, within 24 hours. Antidotes to sitting long hours The results of your good exercise and
diet habits needn’t be lost to your office chair. Sitting disease antidotes can
be as simple as moving around more or working while standing. Create a treadmill desk Yes, you read that right, a treadmill desk is just what it sounds
like, a desktop built over a treadmill. Users walk very slowly on the treadmill
and can easily talk, type, and perform other desk work while burning 100
calories an hour and staving off metabolic risks. Treadmill desks can be homemade, purchased
to fit over an existing treadmill, or ordered, all inclusive, for up to $4,400. It seems like an extreme measure to do this, but these are serious side effects we are talking about. Stand at your desk A quicker and less cumbersome fix is a standing desk. To make one,
try stacking something tall on your desk on which to set your computer. If you
work at home, you might choose to work on your laptop while standing at the
kitchen counter. Standing burns more calories than sitting and engages more
muscles, enhancing metabolic activity. Frequent breaks are key If you do choose to sit, you can mitigate
the effects of sitting disease with frequent breaks and lots of movement
throughout the day. Australian researchers found those who took frequent breaks
had lower levels of C-reactive protein, an important marker of inflammation,
and smaller waists as well. Waist size, like excess belly fat, is a marker for
increased risk for heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and other inflammation-related
disorders. High-risk waist circumference is over 40 inches for men and over 35
inches for women. So take a stand against excessive sitting.
Get up every half hour. Move about in your chair. Take the stairs instead of
the elevator. Park at the outer reaches of the parking lot. Go ahead and fidget
and bustle, and trot between the computer and the printer, or to the bathroom.
Research shows not only will you combat sitting disease, you’ll be less likely
to gain weight compared to your more sedentary coworkers. |
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CategoriesBrain and Nervous System HealthCancer Cardiovascular Health Digestive Health General Health Hormonal Health Immune System Nutrition |
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