It’s not news that daily cardiovascular exercise is good for our health. Those of you who get in, at the minimum, 30 minutes per day/5 times per week, are on track to living a long and healthy existence.
However, some morbid news came from Australian researchers after following 8,800 individuals’ lifestyle habits. When comparing people who watch two hours or less television, daily, and those who watch more, “those who watched more than four hours a day had a 46 percent higher risk of death from all causes and an 80 percent increased risk for CVD-related death. This association held regardless of other independent and common cardiovascular disease risk factors, including smoking, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, unhealthy diet, excessive waist circumference, and leisure-time exercises.” In fact, these results apply not only to couch potatoes but translate to people who spend their days mostly sedentary–sitting without moving for hours at a time. What’s a busy, bread-winning, adult to do?
I have four letters for you: M, O, V, E. Four tips for incorporating more movement into your busy, yet physically stagnant work day and TV watching marathon:
- Fidget! As long as it isn’t noisy fidgeting, you are moving without disrupting work. By staying constantly moving, not only will you be extending your life, according to Australian researchers, but you will prevent some chronic pains.
- Drink lots of water, so you will make more bathroom runs. While you are getting up to use the restroom, you may as well use the one on a different floor or across the building to get in a little extra exercise.
- Change positions at least every 30 minutes. For example, stand for a minute or two, stretch, or pace.
- Sit on a stability ball instead of a chair, or put a balance cushion on your seat pan, so that you are forced to move and change positions throughout your day.
Freebie: 5. Join V4Fitness.com, a site presented by yours truly, Balanced Strength Inc., where we help you create long-lasting healthy living habits, and the exercise of the day is something you can do from where you are sitting!
