Fitness and Finances #4: The Cost of Doing Nothing
That cat is pretty adorable, if only humans being inactive were a fraction as cute.
Before you click away, thinking this blog isn’t for you, slow down. I am not talking about the 30 to 60 minutes you spend in the gym. I am talking about the rest of your day. How are you spending those minutes and hours?
Did you know that even people who exercise regularly are at risk from inactivity? [1]
Hit the gym and weight train 4 times per week, I am talking to you. Go to Zumba, Spin Class and Hot Yoga, I am talking to you. Stay at home and do P90x workouts every other day, I am talking to you.
Specifically, a lack of physical activity has clearly been shown to be a risk factor for: [2]
Cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, anxiety, and depression
And I will repeat the first point so you do not miss it. Even if you are exercising regularly, it DOES NOT counteract the harmful effects of otherwise sedentary behavior.
Unfortunately, that describes nearly everyone these days. I am not judging, it is merely a symptom of the our jobs and the activities we enjoy.
Does your job look like this?
Do you or your kids spend much of their day like this?
If not on the phone, then maybe in front of a TV?
And this next picture isn’t that silly is it? Our kids are connected to electronic devices earlier and earlier, meaning they are spending vast amounts of time sedentary.
And there is a financial cost as well. Sedentary behavior has been estimated to cost between $670 to $1125 per person per year. [3]
What can you do?
“Studies have found that simply interrupting your sitting time with short breaks of movement—just standing or walking slowly—has beneficial effects…
Those who took more breaks from sitting had narrower waists, and lower body mass index, triglycerides and glucose tolerance—all important measures for obesity and metabolic health. The average length of their breaks: just four and a half minutes…
Getting up and walking around at least twice an hour can keep your skeletal muscles turned on and lower the risk of disease.” [4]
What else?
Add walking to your day when you can, i.e. take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, park farther away at work or shopping, play with your children and pets more, and as mentioned above, take frequent breaks during your work day. By the way, those breaks are good for your mind as well for two reasons. One, you are breaking up the task giving your mind a chance to refresh. Two, you are stimulating blood flow while you move around.
Anything else?
What if you are not working out in the first place? Reach out to me and let me help you set up and exercise and diet plan.
This dog is cute and he can get away with being inactive. You can’t.
References
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sedentary-risks-gym-time/gym-time-wont-cancel-out-too-much-sitting-idUSKBN0KT22920150120
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/cardiovascular_diseases/risks_of_physical_inactivity_85,P00218
https://njaes.rutgers.edu/healthfinance/health-behaviors.asp
https://qz.com/223160/why-not-even-exercise-will-undo-the-harm-of-sitting-all-day-and-what-you-can-do-about-it/
