The author of this article argues that "while engaging in regular exercise can certainly help you stay healthy, it may not be enough."
"While we have long recognized the positive health effects of moving your body, we are now beginning to appreciate that lack of movement (i.e. sitting) has many negative effects on your body," says James Hill, executive director of the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center at the University of Colorado and co-author of the new book, "State of Slim."
Some studies suggest that "prolonged or excessive sitting is linked with an increased risk of everything from heart disease and diabetes to obesity - and even death. And while meeting current physical activity guidelines can certainly help you stay active, that doesn't mean you're not also spending a lot of time sitting - potentially harming your bottom line."
For optimum health, Hill recommends a "two-pronged strategy - to get regular daily physical activity and to limit the amount of time you sit."
To help you achieve the latter, the article identifies five " 'Stressipes,' stress-fighting lifestyle remedies, that will help you - even if you're a regular exerciser - spend less time sitting and more time moving:"
1. Track your stats. For one week, keep track of how many minutes you sit or lie down during each 24-hour day. Once you know your daily average, you can aim to gradually reduce you are inactive time - cutting even a half hour daily adds up to three and a half hours a week, and 182 hours a year!
2. Assess your habits.
If you feel glued to a desk at home or at work, set an alarm to go off at the same time every hour as a reminder to get up and move. And instead of emailing or texting a colleague, family member or friend at work (or even at home - you know you do it), walk to the person instead. And walk while you talk on the phone.
3. Redefine your "dates."
Instead of meeting a friend for a long or formal sit-down breakfast or lunch, grab something to go. After you sit and enjoy your meal, use the time you saved by taking a short post-meal walk.
4. Sit in the hotseat.
Hotseat is a mobile and web-based workplace wellness tool designed to decrease sedentary behavior. It helps you create a two-minute break schedule and provides gentle reminders throughout the day.
5. Wear comfortable shoes.
So what do you routinely do to sit less and move more? Please let me know.
Finally, please let me know if you have any questions, or problems copying & pasting the link below into your browser so you can view the rest of the article.
http://news.yahoo.com/sit-less-move-more-131628585.htm