Renew You Challenge
Let’s start this week off right!
Here is your newest weekly challenge (I mean opportunity!) to help set you off on the right foot and in the right direction for bringing health to your week. You could even add it to your calendar. Join us!
The average adult spends 90 percent of his leisure time sitting down, a vastly different lifestyle than that of people living just 100 years ago. This relatively recent change to a more sedentary lifestyle is taking its toll: A recent study published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine found that adults who sat for 11 or more hours daily had a 40 percent greater risk of dying in the next three years compared to those who sat for less than four hours daily. Even people who exercised regularly were at increased risk if they sat for long periods of time.
“That morning walk or trip to the gym is still necessary, but it’s also important to avoid prolonged sitting. Our results suggest the time people spend sitting at home, work, and in traffic should be reduced by standing or walking more,” stated lead author Hidde van der Ploeg. The researchers found that sitting for less than 8 hours per day and meeting the physical activity recommendation of the World Health Organization was most protective against death.
This week, keep track of how much time you sit. If it is more than 8 hours daily, as is probably the case for most of us, think about how you can cut back on this time. An interesting option for those who sit at a desk all day is the standing desk—a desk that is set higher so that you can stand while you work.
Stand up when you can, even if for just a minute or two, to get the circulation flowing and the muscles activated. Get creative with your work environment and your leisure environment. Change it up by standing up!