So you get up at 5am to get in a workout? Great! But then do you go to work and sit for the rest of the day, drive home & sit some more? Bad news -” too much sitting, as a distinct concept from too little exercise — is a novel determinant of cardiovascular risk”.
“Prolonged, uninterrupted sitting detrimentally affects several biological processes related to cardiovascular risk”, and “…new evidence suggests the potential for broad cardiovascular health benefits through reducing and interrupting sitting time through practical and acceptable approaches involving ‘sitting less and moving more’.” SOURCE
Sitting for more than an hour can result in a reduction of production of the fat-burning enzyme lipase by up to 90%, which in turn reduces the rate at which glucose is metabolized and lowers levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol.
Excessive sitting can also lead to:
- Weakened legs and glutes
- Weight gain
- Pain in the hips & low back
- Stiff neck & shoulder pain
- Potentially increased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. SOURCE 1; SOURCE 2
- Increased risk of varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis
Get up & move! Experts suggest going for a walk and staying active throughout the day. Enjoy some ‘exercise snacks‘, consider a standing or convertible desk, make a habit of taking phone calls while standing or moving about your office when feasible, take the long way to the bathroom or copier – just don’t sit in one place for too long, aiming to get a few minutes of movement for every 20-minutes of sitting.