Prevent A Sedentary Lifestyle Without Going To The Gym

by Vanessa Boon, Physiotherapist

How do I prevent a sedentary lifestyle without going to the gym?

The answer is: incidental movement!

The risks of living a sedentary lifestyle

Most of us keep an hour aside daily for our physical activity. But when work gets busy, we are all guilty of the “I’ll go tomorrow instead” or “I’ll start again when work calms down,” and this is not good for our physical or mental health.

Besides that, working in a corporate environment, most of us sit for more than 6 hours a day. This has been shown to decrease the lifespan of men by 20% and women by 40%. A sedentary lifestyle also increases the risk of various lifestyle diseases and occurrences such as:

– Breast cancer by 21%
– Digestive tract cancer by 25%
– Diabetes by 27%
– Heart disease by 30%

Incidental movement, though not a straight hour of exercise, still counts as physical activity and leads to similar health benefits!

10 easy ways to increase incidental movement

1. Use the stairs instead of the lift or escalator
2. Cycle or walk to work
3. Get off the train/bus a couple of stops earlier and walk the rest of the way
4. Do a bit of housework daily
5. Go for a brisk walk before or after meals
6. Walk to and from the shops
7. Get up and move very 20-30minutes
8. Move as you talk (e.g walking to take a phonecall)
9. Use “TV time” as a chance to squeeze in a few exercises
10. Choose a cafe further away to grab your daily coffee!

The simple secret is: move more than you sit!

Here at BOSIC we believe in having a balanced lifestyle. Rest is amazing and great for your body, but during your waking hours get up, get moving and increase your incidental movement today! If you’re struggling to fit exercise into your day and need some advice, book in to see our Physio’s or Exercise Physiologist below: