The Pursuit of Healthiness

The Pursuit of Healthiness
Your Guide to Getting Healthy

Friday, October 28, 2011

Tip #21: Stand Up to Fat!

I always look forward to getting my magazines at the beginning of every month, especially Health! They always keep me up to date on the latest studies and this month was no different. This month I found a study about sitting. Sure, doesn't sound very interesting, but read on because I can pretty much guarantee you'll learn something you didn't know before.

Sitting can actually make you fat! In your body, there is an enzyme (lipoprotein lipase) that burns fat naturally when you stand. When you sit, that enzyme stops and you store body fat! I know you may think exercising daily will be enough to counteract these effects, but it won't. The reactions causing you to store fat while you sit is unrelated to the reactions that cause you to burn fat while you exercise. I know, the human body is a confusing, annoying complex, but we gotta live with it.

Not only that but sitting also causes back pain. When you sit, you mess up the natural S-curve of the spine, creating a C-curve.The C-curve isn't strong enough to support your body weight. Even more of a reason sitting equals problems, sitting shortens your life span! A study in the American Journal of Epidemiology in 2010 reported that death ratets from cardiovascular disease increased 2.7 times for a woman who sat six or more hours every day, whether she was overweight or healthy or exercised.

Pretty shocking statistics, right? There are a few simple ways to remedy this sitting epidemic! Try to stay on your feet at work! Push the chair aside, put your keyboard on a book, and stand over your desk to do your work. At home, get off the couch. After dinner, take the dog for a walk rather than settling down for a repeat of The Office. If you have the Wii-Fit, turn on the freestyle step game and do step areobics while you watch your shows. Little by little, just try to lessen the amount you're sitting and add to the time you are standing.

No comments:

Post a Comment