I really can’t think of a better way to round out this week’s conversation than with the following reminder.
Sitting down can be dangerous. In fact, if you do it too much, it will kill you. And new research continues to drive this crucial message home.
One recently published study showed that just two hours of sitting—the time you might spend watching a movie in the evening—is all it takes to cancel out the benefits of a 20-minute workout.
These researchers evaluated the fitness levels of over 2,000 people between 12 and 49 years old to reach their conclusion. And based on previous research on the subject, I think it’s safe to say that the results are no fluke.
I’ve discussed “sitting disease” here before. In fact, I devoted an entire article to it in my monthly newsletter, Logical Health Alternatives, earlier this year. (If you’re a subscriber, you can find that article in the February 2014 issue in the archives. If you’re not, consider signing up today.)
But this new research emphasizes one of the most important points I made in those previous discussions: It’s not enough to go to the gym every day. To reduce your risk, you have to sit less and move more—period.
And moving more doesn’t have to mean taking Zumba or running a marathon. These researchers offer the same simple strategy I’ve been hammering home for years now: walk, walk, and walk some more. Around your house, around the block, around your local mall. It doesn’t matter where or how you do it.
To quote this study’s authors, “any movement is good movement.” So this weekend, do yourself a favor—get up, get out of the house, and get moving.
Source:
UT Southwestern Medical Center. “Sitting too much, not just lack of exercise, is detrimental to cardiovascular health.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 7 July 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140707141622.htm>.