Yes, you heard us – get up and on your feet Britain. Today is national ‘Get up on your feet Day’ where over 2 million people in the UK leave their desks to participate in fun physical-based activities.
What are the risks of sitting for too long?
We are all becoming more and more aware of our sedentary lifestyles. Research has shown that sitting for long periods of time has a number of health concerns such as obesity, high blood sugar, excess body fat, increased blood pressure and much more. Additionally, research has shown that sitting for long periods of time slows down our metabolism which essentially is our bodies ability to regulate and break down body fat. It has been shown that those who sit for more than 8 hours a day with no physical activity had risks of dying similar to the risks imposed by smoking and obesity. That is crazy. However, we do understand and acknowledge that we have all fallen into traps of never ending Zoom calls…
Taking time to check in and ask ourselves – how can we become more active in our day to day lives? This can be the answer that will either take years away or add years to your life.
Our Top Tips to Move More
It can be so easy to feel you don’t have time.. or, you need 30 minutes or more to move. This is not true and research has found that exercise snacking (i.e., doing small bouts of exercise across the day) can be such a powerful way to move throughout your working day. We have some top tips to get your body on a daily basis.
1. Make a New Working Commute
If you work from home, work on getting up 20 minutes earlier to use that time to take a ‘commute to work’. Yes, make your own commute and go out for a walk before you start your working day. This can be even 10 minutes if that’s all you have. Go check out our Walk to Work Blog which has more ideas on how to get walking more if you work at home and/or in the office.
2. Standing Calls
Take some calls standing, you might have a standing desk or you might be able to place the laptop on a countertop. Standing can be a great way to break up your sitting time. Additionally, take some calls and walk the house or go outside (get some Vitamin D).
3. Walking Meetings
Walking meetings are a great way to chat while giving individuals freedom away from the office space for clarity and creativity. Walking is such a fantastic way to take care of your mental and physical health. We highly recommend doing some walking meetings where you can.
4. Avoid Post-Dinner Slump
After dinner, try going for a 10 minute walk. Sitting on a full stomach can often make us feel more sluggish and tired. Taking some steps after dinner can be a great way to digest your food post-dinner.
Conclusion
It’s a simple equation, daily movement makes us happier, healthier, more connected and present. It has even been shown to increase our longevity. We understand the way we work (often stuck to screens) is not endorsing us to be active. That’s why it is our job to ensure we take care of ourselves. We have built the VISTA App which focuses on Physical, Mental and Social Wellbeing. Physical wellbeing is a key pillar which focuses on running, cycling, swimming, walking and many more related challenges. For more information on how we can support you and your team to become more physically active, send us a message.
Sources
https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00796.2020
https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12966-020-01008-4
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/exercise-guidelines/why-sitting-too-much-is-bad-for-us/
https://www.howardluksmd.com/exercise-snacking-movement-for-health-in-5-minutes-or-less/
https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00796.2020
