Welcome to another episode of MythBuster Mondays!
Are you sitting down?
Right now?
Sitting is actually bad for your health (some say it's the new smoking). But, you’ll just workout for two hours and balance it out right? Wrong!
Excessive sitting actually has adverse effects on health such as:
- Decreases lifespan
- Increases weight gain
- Affects pelvis and spine
- Weakens hips
- Increases anxiety and depression
- Increases diabetes risk
- Worsens posture
And, unfortunately, working out doesn’t offset the long-term effects of prolonged sitting.
You have two options:
- Adjust how you sit: Some studies suggest that you can make sitting less harmful by adjusting how you sit.
- Or you can simply sit less.
I think it's best to decrease the amount of time you sit each week.
You can do this by using a standing desk (I have been using mine for the last 4 years and can't imagine a world without it!).
However, if that's not an option, try and stand up every 30 minutes and move around. Or, when on the phone, stand up (pacing is good, too!).
Get creative and look for ways to sit less during your daily life.
Rest is good. But, our bodies undoubtedly operate best in motion. So, let’s get moving!