Do you sit all day? Sitting all day makes us more likely to gain weight – but recent studies show that sitting is linked to a range of serious illnesses. In fact, sitting all day appears to increase your risk of premature death, and recent research has found that women who stay seated for long periods of time every day are more prone to developing type 2 diabetes. Gulp!
What can you do if you sit all day at work? For a start, you could take regular standing breaks. See our article on being active in the workplace for more ideas.
You could also minimise the time you spend sitting while you are doing other activities. For example, if you’re talking on the phone or watching your kids in the park, stand up – you’ll burn double the number of calories and keep yourself a little bit healthier. Because your muscles have to work to hold you upright, standing increases your metabolic rate – which helps you manage your weight.
After all this reading about the dangers of sitting, I think I’ll take a well-earned standing break!