Did you know that the average person sits for 64 hours a week?  I know it sounds unbelievable but when you consider the 8-5 job and the average commute of 25.4 minutes each way (according to the American Census Bureau) we are already up to a total of 44 hours a week just related to work time.  This doesn’t even factor in the hours of time spent sitting while we wait for kids at practices, during meetings outside of work, reading, studying, running errands, watching TV and in church.  It adds up quickly. (Note: I  am walking on my handy homemade treadmill desk as I write this article 🙂

Studies have shown that even elite athletes sit more than the average Joe.  Sure, they work very hard while training for their sport or event but their sedentary time outside of that tends to be pretty high. Check out the study HERE.  Reports have also shown that people are 30% less active on the days they hit the gym.  Sounds weird, I know but it is most likely due to a compensation or reward for the fact that they worked out earlier in the day.  You know how it goes: “Well, I went to the gym to day so I get to just chill a little bit”

Lets talk about what happens to the body when you sit too much throughout the day and then I’ll give you some great ideas and tools to help you move more.

Let’s get nerdy!

There is a gene (LPP1 gene) that exists in the body that has the job of keeping us cardiovascularly (heart) healthy.  It keeps the blood from clotting, reduces inflammation and keeps the blood healthy.  When sitting, this gene is suppressed.  If you have been sitting all day and then hop over to the gym the fact that this gene has been sitting down all day too means that blood flow has been reduced and you are at a higher risk for cardiovascular events (any incident that may cause damage to the heart muscle – such as a heart attack), reduced recovery rate and increased post workout soreness. You want to be very careful about hitting a hard workout after sitting all day.  Give your self a great warm up or better yet, move throughout the day to prevent these negative effects.

Unfortunately, the LPP1 gene is impacted negatively by sitting but resistant to exercise…Booo, but true.

So what I am saying is that you cannot exercise your way out of this situation.  After a long day of sitting, going to the gym does not turn the gene back on.

There is another factor in keeping the blood healthy and free of fats and cholesterol.  It is an enzyme called Lipase.  Lipase is like a Pac-Man for your blood.  It runs around and eats up the fat in our bloodstream.  When we move, the Lipase chomps away at the fats in the bloodstream.  When we are inactive, there is a 90-95% reduction in the activity of lipase.  This reduces the muscles’ because they are just sitting and not working) abilities to remove these bad fats from the bloodstream There is also a reduction in HDL – this is the good cholesterol you hear about.

In just a few hours of sitting there will be a reduction in the presence beneficial LPP1 gene AND the Lipase enzyme.  This can start to happen in just a few minutes but after about 2 hours of inactivity you will get the biggest hit.

As we can see, sitting has negative effects on the way the body works on the inside but it will definitely affect the way if functions on the outside as well.  Typically our body shapes itself around our surroundings.  We may work on the computer and hold the phone pinched between our shoulder and our ear for long periods of time.  We may use a mouse for hours on end and conform our body’s posture to accommodate this one sided movement.  Some muscles get tight or strong, others get weak or maybe overstretched.  Our head may pop forward from looing at the screen (when it should be stacked neatly over our shoulders) causing tight muscles in the upper back that will soon lead to headaches and even worse, postural issues.

When we sit for long periods of time our hip flexor muscles (the muscles in the front of the upped leg that allow you to raise your leg)  become shortened and pull on the low back causing pain and even disc issues.  Not only this but the glutes (The bum muscles) get weakened from lack of use, further contributing to back pain ( and the unfortunate use of suspenders later on down the line 😉  Walking around will stretch those hip muscles to prevent low back pain from happenings.

Other areas that can be affected by prolonged sitting are:

• Mood – Sitting can cause grouchiness!
• Focus – Trying to focus on a task for too long can actually decrease focus and quality
• Blood sugar – can become elevated
• Work performance – Can get shoddy as we get burned out
• Digestion – Will become sluggish when the body does not get the chance to move things around

The main thing to remember is to break your sitting up with spurts of movement throughout your day.

What can you do about it?

Trade in technology for a personal touch:

Consider hand delivering that message that you would have sent in an email…i am sure your co-worker would love to see your face instead of their computer screen.  This simple task can have a big impact on not only your health but your relationships as well.

 

Use the Pomodoro Technique:

 

The Pomodoro Technique was actually created to be a time management technique.  It’s purpose is to increase focus, reduce burnout and give you more mental clarity but I love the idea of using it to get you up and moving more.  The Pomodoro Technique suggests to set a timer for a 25 minute work period followed by a 5 minute break period.  I propose you do this for better focus on you project but get up and get moving during the break period.  Walk over to the break room and back, grab a drink of water, use the restroom or take a few laps around the office.  Setting a timer will ensure that minutes don’t turn into hours.

BONUS TIP:  When you get up from your desk (and when you return) do this.  Stand up, sit down, stand up and move on.  You will get several extra squats in throughout the day when you add that one simple thing. 

Use your “wait around” time wisely:

How many times to you catch yourself checking emails while waiting for the kids or for a meeting to start.  Get up and move! Plan ahead.  Bring your gym shoes and walk around the park, strip mall, building or walk up and down the stairs.  Don’t worry about what people are thinking as you walk back and forth in front of their business…This is YOUR health we are talking about.  Don’t let a few funny stares hold you back from the benefits you will get from being more active.  My family and I have been known to log an extra 2000 steps making laps around the grocery store while waiting for a movie to start in the dead of winter!

 

Get the right tools:

There are many great tools out there that you can add to your office space to help you get up and be more active in the day:

The Mogo Portable Seat is designed to help you be upright wherever you go. Basically, it is a seat on a stick. It is an excellent piece of equipment for your standing desk or upright conference table. The slip-resistant pivoting end allows you to move around in any direction while still maintaining total control of your motion.You can also use it while watching from the sidelines of sporting events. It is  collapsible and only weighs 2 #.

The Veridesk standing work station is an awesome way to get your workday up on its’ feet.  While it may seem that $395 is a big investment, you can see how with the negative effects of sitting the health benefits are well worth the cost.  It is height adjustable and can support multiple screens.

If you are looking for a little less expensive standing workstation, the Rocelco Height Adjustable Standing Desk Riser is a great option.  it is not quite as fancy but will definitely help you be more active throughout the workday.

One more tool to help you get standing is the Standing Desk Anti-Fatigue Comfort Floor Mat.  Use is to bring cushio to your feet, ankles, knees and hips while you stand to talk on the phone or chat with a colleague.  These situations can add up to lots of extra standing minutes in the day.

Ya know what I would do? Check with your boss or manager about purchasing some of these tools for your office.  Let them know what you have learned about sittings negative effects on your health.  Better yet, share these links with them because I am sure they will appreciate you saving them some time doing the leg work for them. (Hahaha, see what I did there?)

Have your friends ditch you!

If there is time in your day, go to lunch with your co-workers but walk back to the office rather than catching a ride.  Or, send them ahead with your order and it’ll be ready when you get there.  When you walk after you eat, you will lower your postprandial (a fancy word for ‘after a meal’) blood sugar leaving you with a better balance.

Use a fitness tracker:

There are so many fitness trackers out there to help remind you and motivate you to stay more active throughout the day.  My favorite right now is the FitBit.  one reason I love the FitBit is because it not only tracks you steps but your sleep as well.  I love that you can challenge others through the FitBit app to get their steps in too.  What better way to get the office motivated than to have a FitBit challenge….sounds like a company Christmas bonus waiting to happen to me 🙂

Create a treadmill desk:

Now, while a real treadmill desk can be purchased HERE I made my own for about $3.  It’s the one I am using right now.

Listen to your body.

If you catch yourself fidgeting, you’re getting sleepy or your butt falls asleep – it’s time to get up. Simple

 

There you go! A little bit of physiology (I believe that education inspires motivation – and sometimes a little scare tactic works too) and 8 ways to get you moving more!  I challenge you to try one of these tips this week.  Put it in your calendar or set a reminder on your phone to help you get started…By the way, I managed to get in 2.3 miles while writing this article for you 🙂

 

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