Discover why you can be sedentary even if you exercise

February 03, 2023

Descubre por qué puedes ser sedentaria aunque te ejercites

You go to the gym from Monday to Friday to train hard, walk a couple of hours near home or do Pilates routines that you find on the internet.

The problem arises when you finish exercising and subject your body to inactivity.

You spend hours in front of the PC, watch series marathons, drive to work and go out with friends for coffee. Do you notice the common factor? You are sitting in all of them.

Being sedentary even if you exercise is a reality that you must combat and here we will give you the keys to avoid it.

Main causes of sedentary lifestyle

Your body needs to move to be healthy , but the modern world is designed for the opposite.

Almost everything you need or want is achieved with minimal effort. You take the elevator or escalator, you shop by car even if the store is a block away, you call a delivery, you spend hours watching the internet and social networks.

If you are one of the most technological people, you have Alexa as your ally to activate the Apps that turn on or off the light, open the door, turn on your laundry or sweep the house, among other daily tasks.

And if you add the recommended 8 hours of sleep , you understand why you are sedentary even if you exercise.

How to stop being sedentary even if you exercise

Being sedentary is harmful to your health, your weight on your joints and can make you lose the muscle mass that you could have gained from your hours of exercise.

But you don't have to resign yourself. There are easy actions to carry out in your daily life that will help you be more active and healthy:

Every hour, stand up from your chair : move for at least 5 minutes, walk around your office, your home or do simple exercises such as stretching, half squats, calf raises, contract your glutes, walk in place, among others.
Get up with a purpose: go to the cafeteria, drink water, talk to a colleague instead of sending them an email.
Alternate between working sitting and standing : receive and say goodbye to people standing. Promote work meetings with group walks at your work.
Avoid elevators and escalators : Climbing traditional stairs is a great cardiovascular exercise and can even strengthen your legs and glutes.
Reduce your trips in the car: if you can get somewhere on foot, do it! And when it's not an option because it's too far away, park as far away as possible. Also, you can use a bicycle to get around.
Take advantage of calls: when answering your cell phone, get up and walk while you talk, it is a perfect strategy to give activity to your body.
Take advantage of household chores: minimize the use of technological tools that support you in cleaning your house. Take your traditional broom and, while you clean, dance, take care of your plants, etc.
Walk your pets : you will be less sedentary and your pet will be very happy if you take them for a walk at least 30 minutes a day.
Detach yourself from technology: avoid watching too much television or spending a lot of time with electronic devices (cell phones, video game consoles, computers, etc.) sitting or lying down.
Use less comfortable chairs: it's not about sitting on a block, but doing so in a slightly less comfortable chair will force you to move more. On the other hand, if you are in a super comfortable chair, you could go hours without getting up. According to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine that analyzed data from 54 countries, it was found that sitting was responsible for 3.8% of global deaths.
Look out the window: this simple gesture will not only make you move your body, but it will benefit the muscles in your eyes that need to rest. Set an alarm every 20 minutes and look out the window for 20 seconds at a point about 20 meters away.