Sitting Is The New Smoking
The news this week knocked me off my self-righteous fitness throne right onto my ass.
Apparently, eating a (mostly) healthy diet and having a Daily Mile log that looks like this
doesn’t mean that I’m doing all I can to protect myself from heart disease and diabetes.
I have a desk job that keeps me sitting on that ass for 8-10 hours a day. Then I come home and spend another two hours catching up on Twitter, Facebook and blogging, usually while sitting on the sofa watching TV. Then I go to bed and sleep for 6-7 hours. That all adds up to a “sedentary lifestyle” that itself is a risk factor.
Of course I know that being sedentary isn’t good, but since I exceed the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services guidelines for physical activity, I figured I was covered.
- All adults should avoid inactivity. Some physical activity is better than none, and adults who participate in any amount of physical activity gain some health benefits.
- For substantial health benefits, adults should do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous intensity aerobic activity. Aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of at least 10 minutes, and preferably, it should be spread throughout the week.
- For additional and more extensive health benefits, adults should increase their aerobic physical activity to 300 minutes (5 hours) a week of moderate intensity, or 150 minutes a week of vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity. Additional health benefits are gained by engaging in physical activity beyond this amount.
- Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities that are moderate or high intensity and involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, as these activities provide additional health benefits.
But a new study from the American College of Sports Medicine says otherwise. It’s this bullet point that made the news and got my attention:
- Sedentary behavior–sitting for long periods of time–is distinct from physical activity and has been shown to be a health risk in itself. Meeting the guidelines for physical activity does not make up for a sedentary lifestyle.
Well, shoot! What’s a busy working, blogging, reading woman to do?
Well, for starters, I stood up while writing this post. I do get tired of sitting down, and sometimes stand up while using my laptop at my kitchen counter. I will try to remember to do that more often.
More importantly, I am going to make a real effort to get up from my desk and walk around more frequently at work. On busy days, I can sit for hours at a time. I don’t want to know what the ACSM researchers would have to say about that!
It would be great if I would take a walk at lunch and/or after work in the evenings, but I know myself too well to commit to that just yet. Maybe in a few months, when the weather cools off . . . .
How many hours a day do you spend sitting?
Are you worried that sitting is the new smoking?
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Hmmmm….. My job is a stand/sit job.. My desk is high enough to stand at, and my chair is tall enough to sit on to still be eye level if ANYONE would come into the credit union. So, yeah, i guess I could qualify as sedentary.. but i don't know.. I'd say I'm pretty borderline.
The little walk breaks will hopefully help you feel more at ease with the guideline.. but.. You do workout regularly, I personally wouldn't call you sedentary.
I wouldn't have either until I read this. I do sit for shockingly long periods of time (literally hours) when I'm working on a brief.
Before my girlie was born, I had a desk job. It's hard to remind yourself to get up and move when you are knee deep in projects! These days, my only temptation to sit for long periods is when blogging, tweeting, skyping, etc. Thankfully, I have a 4 year old who doesn't let me sit still for too long!
I also wouldn't consider you sedentary, and I think your workout schedule goes a long way in preventing health problems. However, taking breaks during your day to get up and move is always good. Park farther away from the building/elevator, take stairs when you can, walk to a bathroom that is farther away, walk to a colleague's office instead of emailing. Just a few ideas!
Fortunately in my new job we're encouraged to take a couple of walk breaks, as well as working out in lunch. In the 2+ months I've been working here, I notice a huge difference with how I feel. Even if you have to set an alarm to remind yourself to stand up and stretch for two minutes or walk down the hallway, do that. It'll help tremendously.
I'm at a desk job and if I don't remind myself I will sit for hours too. We have signs on our walls in the hallway that says that 7 laps = 1 mile so I set my alarm on my computer to get up at least once an hour and walk a lap. The goal is to get at least a mile that way and more if possible. I'm also walking most days at lunch but it's summer and schools out. When faculty/students return in August I won't be able to do that but maybe twice a week. The trying to get at least 7 laps a day works best except for days when I don't have a choice like registration day.
Hmm. Is that laps around the building or laps around a track? Either way, that's an interesting motivator.
My office is not close to the restrooms, so if I am on track with my water consumption I do *need* to get up more frequently and take a short walk. It would take a lot of trips to make a mile though!
Wow! I had no idea! I thoughtI was doing pretty well too. I guess I'm gonna have to start taking the stairs to meetings or something….
I DID hear about this and felt the same way! What I try to do now is get up at least once an hour and go to the furthest bathroom I can find (I probably should go to the one upstairs!) and I do try to walk somewhere for lunch some days… I think the idea is to just not sit for hours (which, like you, I can also do!), but to break the sitting and move around… I don't think it has to be a mile (you are getting all that exercise anyway), it's just to get your legs and cardiovascular system "going" 🙂
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