Couch Potato

Of course I knew it allready and one look at my body says it all; I am sitting way too much. But new studies have proven that too much sitting can give you all kind of illnesses. Like what; well mental illness for one. I never knew that one!

We all are sitting our lives away; it is bad for our health and even our life expectancy.
Researchers have reported that sitting for long hours is linked to:

• Worse mental health
• A higher risk of death from heart disease and other causes
• A higher risk of being disabled

Dear god, if they want to scare me they are succeeding!
But wait, there's more:

The new studies add even more weight (funny) to earlier research suggesting that too much sitting is bad -- even if you get regular exercise. 

Experts say they still don't know for sure which comes first. Does too much sitting trigger poor health, or is it the other way around?
They also say we may need to think about sitting and exercise as two separate behaviors, each contributing on its own to our health. So while that 1-hour jog is great for you, it may not undo the 8 hours sitting at your desk.

Great, I don't exercise at all! I'm going to die... I'm obese as it is and a huge couch potato. After work (not at a desk) I'm glad I can put my feet up to be honest! Exercise too? I know I should but I don't.

Too much sitting has been linked to cardiovascular events like heart attack, heart disease death, overall death, and death from cancer.
Sitting time has also been linked with high blood pressure, obesity, bad cholesterol, and too much belly fat.

So even though I have not a sitting job, how can I reduce sitting or if you do have a sitting job how can you reduce it?

• Use a standing desk at work. More workplaces are warming to the idea, she says.
• Give yourself reminders to sit less. At home, consider a TV commercial your signal to get out of your chair briefly. At work, use a smaller coffee cup or glass so your trips for refills will be more frequent.
• Change social norms. At a meeting, you might explain, "I am going to take a standing break

 After reading all this I think I will start with walking again, starting tonight!

© KH

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