ObesityHelp Community Tips: Sit Less, Move More
November 14, 2014Whether you're sitting at a desk, watching television, or sitting during a commute...you may be clocking a lot of hours sitting down. Research has shown that sitting for eight hours a day can negatively impact health.
Health effects of sitting for long periods of time include:
- Organ damage including heart disease, over productive pancreas and a greater risk for colon, breast, and endometrial cancers.
- Muscle degeneration in the abs, hips, and glutes that lead to poor posture, limited range of motion and a weakened stability and stride.
- Leg disorders that can include poor circulation ranging from swollen ankles to varicose veins, to life-threatening blood clots (DVT).
Sitting can cause blood to pool in the legs and prevent it from effectively flowing to the heart -- a precursor to cardiovascular problems. After just one hour of sitting, normal blood flow became impaired by as much as 50 percent, the study found.
With busy schedules and demands, it can sometimes be hard to move as much as our body needs us too but we can do it! The good news is studies have shown that even five minutes of activity an hour can help reduce the impact of a sedentary lifestyle. So remember, try to sneak in 5 minutes an hour to sit less and move more and if you have more time, try some of the additional tips below to add to your fitness regimen!
Sit Less Move More Tips from the ObesityHelp Community
What are your personal tips for starting and maintaining an exercise routine, or simple ways you add more physical activity into your life?
Tracy D. provided a wealth of knowledge from her personal experience -
"Here is what has worked for me over the last 18 months, turning me from a couch potato into someone who actually goes to the gym 5-6 days a week and is now running 5K's (which I swore would never happen because I really hate running)":
1. Start off easy with walking...or cycling...treadmill or other machines. Doesn't matter what you pick but start off SLOW. If you start off like gangbusters you're going to hurt yourself or exhaust yourself. Either way, it sabotages your efforts.
2. Increase the distance/mileage gradually each week. If you start off with 15 minutes walking, do 17 minutes the next week, 19 the next week until you are consistently moving your body for 30 minutes at a time. This goes for whatever form of cardio you are doing.
3. Shoot for movement/exercise at least 5 days a week. I'm one of those people that has to do something every single day because I get out of the routine too easily. Don't worry -- you're not at the fitness level in the first 6-9 months where you need to worry about giving your body a "rest" day. We don't need to rest from walking and movement. Come back and we'll talk about rest days when you're working out 6 days a week for an hour at 80% of your maximum heart rate.
4. As soon as you're cleared by your doctor, start some kind of resistance training - this is important! Choose a weight lifting routine (there's lots of easy ones you can do using your own body weight at home); resistance bands; kettlebells; light hand weights; Pilates. You pick -- but do it at least 2-3 times per week. Everyone who sees my arms and legs assumes I go to the gym and lift weights (seriously people, my legs are like granite). I use resistance bands 3 times a week and it's made a HUGE difference in my body.
5. Figure out if you're a gym person, a group fitness person or a lone wolf that likes to be on your own and then make that part of your routine. I found out at 1-year post-op that I'm a group person. If I didn't work out in a group situation I would never make it 5-6 times per week to the gym. The group keeps me accountable. My husband, on the other hand, can't stand groups or gyms...he's the lone wolf.
6. As you drop the weight and get more fit, start doing all the tricks you've read about before: 1) park further away from the store, 2) take the stairs instead of the elevator, 3) run to the mailbox and back, 4) walk that 6-12 blocks to your friend's house, 5) take walks around your building at lunch. Those little activities won't add up necessarily to calories burned or pounds lost, but you will be healthier and more alert because of it.
7. And finally - read this and memorize it: EXERCISE ISN'T HOW YOU LOSE WEIGHT! The battle of the bulge is won in the kitchen - period. You will never out-exercise a crappy diet. Exercise is about strengthening your muscles and your heart/lung health so you have more ease of movement when doing normal activities - so you can easily bend down and scoop up your kids/grandkids in your arms, so you can play frisbee in the park without throwing out your back, so you can run up those stairs at work without sweating and panting for air. It's about being able to live your life for a whole lot longer as a healthy, vital person.
"Find something you love. Over the past 13 years, I've done many things. If it didn't feel right, I tried something else. I am a swimmer and am now working on being a runner too. It doesn't happen overnight. The key: don't give up...find YOUR passion. It's there.. .anything worth having is worth fighting for. 13 years out RNY maintaining 250 lb loss." - meezer61
"The best advice i have is to get a fitness band (i love my FitBit) and USE IT. I've never been so active in my life, and I credit (on top of my WLS) my fit bit. i track meals, water intake, sleep, steps, exertion....it's amazing. My goal is 10,000 steps a day." - sparkle1980
"If you can physically walk or ride your bike (trike) to do errands...Do it. If the weather is bad outside...Put on some good music and move (walk, dance, exercise) around the house. Hard physical work helps with weight loss and builds muscles. Clean windows, clean the fridge, clean out the car, walk the dog, wash the dog, gardening (prune those bushes yourself). If you don't know how to prune, look online and take them on. Walk away from the TV, internet, phone!! Turn them off and move...Just move." - cabin111
"On busy days, I still try to sneak a little extra in, like if I'm shopping, I lovingly annoy my fiance by making a purposeful extra walk around the perimeter of the mall or store. Or before one of my daughter's games I will take a walk around the school track." - Allison S.
"I am almost 5 months post-op (sleeve on June 15) and I just walk: park farther away at stores, walk our dog. Just go slow and you'll find as time progresses, you will want & be able to do more." - Sophia W.
"I just park further away and take the stairs for single flight trips, get up and walk around the building a few times a day. Nothing extra and I'm maintaining 3 years out as a paleo dieter, no gain." - Tamie B.
You can find more fitness tips and discussion on the Exercise and Fitness Forum.
You can track your activity with the Health Tracker, and set activity goals with the Goals System.
References:
Berkowitz, Bonnie and Patterson Clark. "The health hazards of sitting." 20 January 2014. Washington Post.
Phillip, Abby. "Take a seat. You may be able to reverse the damage to your health." 8 September 2014. Washington Post.
