Discover why you can be sedentary even if you exercise
You go to the gym from Monday to Friday to train hard, you walk for a couple of hours close to home or you 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 anything you need or want is accomplished with minimal effort. You take the elevator or escalator, you shop by car even if the store is one block away, you call a delivery service, you spend hours browsing the internet and social media.
If you are one of the most technological ones, you have Alexa as your ally to activate the Apps that turn the light on or off, open the door, turn on your washing machine or sweep the house, among other daily tasks.
And if you add the recommended 8 hours to sleep , you understand why you are sedentary even if you exercise.
How to stop being sedentary even if you exercise
Being sedentary is detrimental to your health, your weight on your joints, and can make you lose muscle mass that you could have gained in your hours of exercise.
But you don't have to give up. There are easy actions to carry out in your day to day that will help you to be more active and healthy:
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Get up from your chair every hour : move for at least 5 minutes, walk around your office, your house or do simple exercises such as stretching, half squats, calf raises, contract the glutes, march in the same place, among others.
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Get up with a purpose: go to the cafeteria module, drink water, talk to a colleague instead of sending an email.
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Alternate between working sitting and standing : receive and dismiss people standing. Promote work meetings at work with group walks.
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Avoid elevators and escalators : Climbing traditional stairs is a great cardio workout and can even toughen your legs and buttocks.
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Reduce your trips in the car: if you can move 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.
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Take advantage of the calls: when answering your cell phone, get up and walk while you talk, it is a perfect strategy to give your body activity.
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Take advantage of household chores: minimize the use of technological tools that help you clean your home. Take your traditional broom and, while you clean, dance, take care of your plants, etc.
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Walk your pets : you will be less sedentary and your pet will be very happy if you take it for a walk at least 30 minutes a day.
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Get away 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.
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Use less comfortable chairs: it is not about sitting on a block, but doing it 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 spend hours without getting up. According to a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine that analyzed data from 54 countries found that sitting was responsible for 3.8% of global deaths.
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Look out the window: this simple gesture will not only make you move your body, but it will benefit the muscles of your eyes that need to rest. Set an alarm every 20 minutes and look out the window for 20 seconds at a point that is about 20 meters away.
You may also like to read: Learn ways to exercise to tone up, if weights are not your thing
When you put these actions into practice, not only will your body thank you, but you will have a greater sense of well-being, more energy and a better mood, concentration, and your mental fatigue will decrease.