Sitting all day can be damaging to your body. How, you ask? Your circulation slows down, fatty acids build up and this can lead to heart disease. Sitting can cause weight gain, increased inflammation and contribute to greater feelings of soreness and pain. Your muscles and bones can become weaker. There is also less oxygen traveling to your vital organs which can reduce your brain function and increase feelings of stress.
So get up and move! It doesn’t take much to get your blood pumping. Move every 30-60 minutes. How? Set a timer on your phone or watch and have a plan for how you will move when it goes off. Take a break from the screen and just step outside, take a walk, use the stairs, clean something, or march in place. Think of housework, errands, and yard work as movement opportunities! All movement is good so park farther away and take multiple trips to put away the groceries or laundry. Drink plenty of water and know that getting up to use the restroom is a good thing.
When do you find yourself sitting for hours at a time?
What are some ways, you can think of, that would be a healthy movement break?
If you would like to be more active during your day, use your Action Plan or journal to create more movement opportunities. Be specific about what you will do each day to incorporate moving more and sitting less. It is important for you to create a plan that is realistic and achievable. Document what you specifically plan to do each day in your journal.
Example: Goal: Walk for 15 minutes each day
When you complete it, put a check mark next to it to show that you took that action.
“You’ve got to move it, move it!” – will.i.am