Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/370174
26 | Washington Athletic Club Magazine | SEPTEMBER 2014 H ow many hours each day do you sit? Hint: It's more than you think. Research shows that 50 percent to 70 percent of people in the United States spend six or more hours sitting every day. at's equivalent to one quarter or more of your life in a chair. Why does this matter? Because a sedentary lifestyle shortens life expectancy, and it is associated with an increased risk for Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. Plus, it just doesn't feel good. Consider when you're sitting in your chair at work. Do you have rounded shoulders? Is your head jutting forward toward the computer? Is your back bent? Is it difficult to find a full breath? I suspect this sounds familiar to a lot of people. Sitting too much each day impacts one's physical and mental well-being. ere is a simple solution, however. All it takes is making some small changes to move more throughout your day and shifting how you think about movement. STEP AWAY FROM THE DESK First, move frequently. It's better to move with high frequency and less duration than with low frequency and longer duration. For example, if you work at a desk job, it's better to take several five-minute movement breaks throughout the day than to sit all Wellness By Erin Goldman, WAC Yoga Instructor T he research is clear—we must move our bodies to maintain health and fitness. Yet we struggle to make it hap- pen. Making a lifelong behavior change such as being more physi- cally active can be challenging, but behavioral scientists have dis- covered a proven success strategy. Researchers say that rather than focusing our attention and motiva- tion on our desired outcome, we need to change a plethora of tiny behaviors that support that outcome. By keeping the changes small, it becomes more attainable to actu- ally make long-term adjustments to your habits. For example, to add more movement into your life, you might start by pulling each knee to your chest before you get out of bed each morning. That's a small, easy, and attainable thing to do. Once that becomes a habit, you can add another step like doing a heel raise when you brush your teeth in the morning. You get the idea. Soon, it will become second nature to be looking for ways to move more with everything you do throughout the day. This article by WAC Yoga Instructor Erin Goldman outlines simple steps you can do throughout your day to refresh, re-energize, and support a lifestyle of more activity. Tamela Thomas, Wellness Manager tamelat@wac.net 206.464.4639 Move it or lose it Quitting the Sitting Even small movements throughout your day offer many long-term health benefits