Category: Sitting Too Much

How do You Stay Healthy With Leisure Time Activities?

Keep Active with Leisure Time Activity!

 

Want to know a simple way to stay active in your spare time — and burn extra calories without it feeling like a “chore?” It’s easy! Increase your leisure time activity!

Leisure time physical activity is generally considered any exercise, sport or recreational activity that is not job related; is not a household task; and is not fulfilling a transportation need.

Currently, the average adult in the United States spends 90% of their leisure time sitting.  While that statistic sounds a bit scary, it’s very simple to stay active and not fall under the “average.”

Increasing leisure time activity not only helps you stay active — it can help you with your weight loss efforts, and can positively impact heart health and longevity.

Six Ways to Increase Your Leisure Time Activity:

 

1)  Find something you like!  No amount of coaxing, coaching, or fancy accountability programs will motivate you to stick to something in your leisure time that you are not interested in.

Choose activities you enjoy and that rejuvenate you.  Some examples include: playing with your kids, walking your dog, hiking with friends, walking by the water, cycling or strolling through a botanical garden. These can all be considered leisure time activities.

2)  Turn off the screen!  Pay attention to how many hours you spend watching TV and/or surfing on the internet.  Try turning off the screen for one day on the weekend.  Use that time for physically active recreation.

Sometimes it’s difficult to unplug for a whole day.  If that’s the case, decide how much time you need for your task, set a timer, and log off when you’re done.  Then, go do something more physically active.

3)  Exercise with purpose!  Local walks/runs for charities are great leisure activities that also raise money for your favorite causes.

4)  Ditch the car.  Take advantage of any opportunity to leave your car parked and walk.

5)  Track your progress!  Step counters are a great way to measure an increase in activity.  Seeing the effects of walking to the movies, throwing the ball with your kids, or taking the dog to the park will inspire you to keep it up.  Whether you are athletic or not, a monitor can also motivate you to be competitive with yourself — which can lead to an increase in activity.

6)  Try something new.  Have a desire to try a new activity?  Commit to trying it one time.  Who knows? You may hit the jackpot and find something you want to keep up regularly.

Some examples would be horseback riding, a golf lesson, visiting the museum, hiking in a park you haven’t been to and having a picnic, or strolling at a mall you’ve never been to.

No matter what you choose, keep it fun.  It is leisure time after all!

Here’s to staying active!

Jennifer

 

 

How To Avoid Back Pain From Sitting Too Much

Preventing Back Pain

 

In today’s information age we seem to find ourselves sitting for longer periods of time than ever before. While there are many conveniences and high levels of productivity associated with all the technology, the down side is many Americans have become more sedentary.

Long periods of sitting cause certain muscles to overwork,and in some cases to shorten which can lead to tight muscles and back pain. The good news is there are some basic steps you can take to avoid the stiffness and back pain you feel when sitting for too long.

The Most Important Step to Avoid Back Pain

 

The most important step is to make sure that you do not sit for longer than an hour at a time. If you know you can get engrossed in your work, then consider using a timer on your desk — or an app to remind you to stand up and move around.

Once you are standing you’ll be tempted to round the back to stretch it.  However, you want to do the opposite.

Use this simple exercise to avoid back pain.

 

1) Take your elbows to your side and squeeze your shoulder blades together attempting to touch your elbows together behind you. Notice I said attempt. You will not be able to touch them.

2) Once you have brought the elbows back, hold them in place and push them down toward your back pockets. Do this 3-5 times.

After you have finished the exercise, move around.  Get a drink of water. If you have other safe stretches that you know, do them. Just remember to move every hour!

Go ahead and fidget!

 

Did you know that fidgeting is good for you? Fidgeting used to be frowned upon and considered a bad habit. However, research has shown that fidgeters burn an additional 350 calories per day. If you are fidgeting you are moving. So, as long as it is appropriate, fidget away!

Even if you get up every hour and like to fidget, sitting can take it’s toll on the body.  I recommend my clients get a massage every two to four weeks from a massage therapist that is knowledgeable in trigger point therapy.  Check with your insurance company because it may be covered under your health plan.

If your schedule or budget does not allow a massage frequently, the next best thing is “The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook” by Clair Davies.  This book is designed for the patient/client, and it teaches simple step by step techniques for self massage. I recommend this book to all of my clients and use it in my daily fitness practice.

These tips will help you move more, stay healthier, and avoid back pain.  Please let me know if you have any questions. I’m here to help!

Blessings!

Jennifer

 

 

Can Sitting Too Much Kill You?

Concerned about how much time you spend sitting down? Good! Research is showing us that too much sitting is hazardous to your health.

A recent report in the Archives of Internal Medicine adds to a series of studies proving the negative effects of sitting for too long.

Researchers found that individuals who sit for more than 11 hours a day are 40 percent more likely to die in the next three years than those who are more active. Experts also said sitting between eight and 11 hours daily raises the early death risk by 15 percent.

“The evidence on the detrimental health effects of prolonged sitting has been building over the last few years,” said study author Hidde van der Ploeg, a senior research fellow at the University of Sydney.

And to top it off, extended periods of sitting are not just limited to the workplace. Researchers found that the average adult spends about 90 percent of leisure time sitting down as well.

Most of that time was spent watching television or using a computer.

The good news is this doesn’t have to be you! Now that science is telling us the dangers of sitting too much, you have even more incentive to stay active.

Five Ways to Avoid Sitting Too Much

1)  Get up every hour.  If you have a job that requires you to sit a lot, make it a goal to stand up and move around every hour.  Set a timer if you need a reminder.  Use the short break to hydrate and stretch.

2)  Stand while you work. Try a standing station and alternate between sitting and standing while working. Another option is to stand during conference calls. This is a great time to pace if it won’t distract you on your call.

3)  Take short walks. Walk whenever possible. Incorporate walking into your every day activities. Whether it’s taking the stairs, walking to lunch, or parking at the back of the lot, look for ways to incorporate movement into your daily activities. Use as many opportunities as you can to get exercise. It may take a few extra minutes, but the results could be priceless!

4)  Cook! Cooking means standing and moving around the kitchen. You don’t have to become a gourmet chef. Try some easy 20 minute recipes. Turn on some music and dance around the kitchen!

5)  Turn off the screen. Trade TV and computer time for exercise. Pick a form of exercise you are likely to stick to and avoid sitting in front of electronic devices. If there is something you really want to watch or some work you need to do, set a timer and limit yourself to an hour. Then go do something that requires standing or moving, like a hobby. It’s also a good way to get that to do list checked off!

Plan recreation for the weekend that is not in front of a screen. Walking your dog, going to the park, playing outside as a family, hiking, biking, and water sports are all great examples of things you can do on the weekend to avoid sitting for too long.

In today’s age of modern convenience and technology, you have to be intentional about moving. It is so easy to sit for hours and not even realize it. The need to exercise “on purpose” is pretty recent and doesn’t necessarily come naturally to us. Leave yourself reminders and notes until it becomes second nature to move more and sit less.

Do you have a clever way to fit exercise into your day? Please leave a comment below! I would love to hear from you!

Blessings!

Jennifer