Sitting Too Much? Here's How to Get Moving and Stay Active
Mar 27, 2023
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Regardless of the reason behind it, sitting for extended periods can cause a number of health issues including increased blood pressure, a higher chance of obesity, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and many others. Whether you are sitting for a long time at work or at home while watching TV, to help your body stay strong, you need to find a way to include physical activity in your daily routine.
The Benefits of Physical Activity
Regular physical activity is one of the best things you can do for your overall health, as it offers numerous actual benefits. For instance, being regularly on the move and engaging in some sort of exercise can help reduce the risk of various types of disease, strengthen muscles and bones, and at the same time make it easier to manage weight. On top of that, regular physical activity can even improve brain health. Finally, getting used to staying in motion can fix your posture and provide you with more energy for other day-to-day tasks.
Simple Ways to Be More Active
Take a look at the following ideas that can help you include physical activity in your schedule:
Embrace Stretching
No matter how hard your day may have been, you can always benefit from doing some simple stretching. Creating a gentle stretching routine and sticking to it diligently will help you build and maintain flexibility, and increase your muscle blood flow. And if you have a particular condition to fix, you can go for a targeted routine that includes exercises that relieve lower back pain, or any other issues you may be facing. The best way about stretching is that it can be done almost anywhere, and it does not require any particular equipment.
Bike or Walk to Work
If you regularly go to work by car, you add up plenty of hours of inactivity to your routine weekly which directly affects your well-being. Of course, not everyone has the luxury to walk or bike to work, but if there’s a chance for you to do so, it will be a perfect way to engage in daily exercise. And once you get started, you will begin finding it natural to go on foot or by bike wherever you can.
Hit the Gym
Staying motivated can be challenging, especially if you’re on a busy schedule with lots of other responsibilities. However, if you decide to join a local gym or any other type of fitness club, you will find inspiration in others who show up regularly and work hard to stay in shape. Being surrounded by people who prioritize fitness will surely help you stay dedicated to your goals. Moreover, the moment you invest money in your new exercise routine, you will feel obliged to make use of the paid membership.
Plan Group Activities
When it comes to fitness, peer pressure can be a great thing. So next time you’re about to make plans with your friends or family, try suggesting a fun outdoor group activity that will get everybody moving. Social gatherings usually revolve around food and drinks, and if you manage to replace such a habit with a beneficial activity, you will do a lot for the well-being of everyone involved.
Take the Stairs
Whenever you’re in a situation to choose between elevators, escalators, and stairs, do yourself a favor and climb your way to the point where you need to be. Even though opting for the stairs seems like a minor change, you’d be surprised by the benefits of this simple activity that can quickly increase your heart rate and help build muscle tone. Besides, taking the stairs is an amazing way to implement the activity in your everyday tasks without having to plan.
Stand More at Work
All the hours that you spend sitting at work can be seen as a lost chance to burn additional calories every single day. So instead of saying yes to an entirely sedentary position, you can try to use a standing desk that you can use to switch positions from standing to sitting whenever possible. It is a fact that standing puts more stress on the body than sitting, and forcing yourself to do it for a while will burn more calories, and help increase your leg strength and endurance. And if your workplace simply does not support such a change, try to take several five-minute breaks to stand up and stretch your legs.
Spending too much time in a day sitting can cause serious damage to your body, and the sooner you become aware of that, the sooner you’ll start creating better habits for yourself. And now that you’ve found inspiration in the ideas listed above, you can start making plans to regularly engage in physical activity.