Whether you have just completed an intense workout, or a rush-hour sprint for the subway, your dream is to sit down to catch a breath! However, sitting, especially after a workout or for a long period of time is not as healthy as it feels! The NHS references studies, which linked excessive sitting to obesity, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer and even early death.
Furthermore, sitting for long periods of time slows down your metabolism, thus reducing your body’s ability to regulate your blood sugar level, blood pressure and fat break down. This is not good news for your weight loss in Brooksville.
Now that you know the problem, let us show you how much sitting you do every day and explain to you 3 ways in which it is negatively affecting your health!
How much time do I spend sitting?
This is a SHOCKING number. A study from the Washington University School of Medicine shows that the time spent sitting by an average American increased by about one hour between 2007 and 2016 to 6.4 hours for adults and 8.2 hours for adolescents. This includes watching TV, using a computer, reading, doing homework, travelling,etc. – except for sleeping.
Thus, it is important to understand the implications of this, as it is such a big part of our lives!
How is excessive sitting affecting me?
1. Increased chance of developing chronic diseases
Excessive sitting can affect your physical health in many different ways – from neck stiffness and weakened muscles to diabetes and cancer! The American Cancer Society found that prolonged sitting is associated with a 19% higher rate of death from all causes compared to sitting less than 3 hours per day.
The obvious result of sitting is reduction of strength as it effectively replaces some sort of exercising. And this affects both the muscles and the bones, thus reducing your level of stability and increasing your chances of getting injured. Furthermore, poor posture and chronic pain can also be expected. This is because sitting shortens the hip flexor muscles, leading to hip joint related issues and it compresses the spinal discscausing premature degeneration.
The less obvious health implications include more serious conditions like obesity, diabetes, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and cancer. DVT is a blood clot that forms in the veins of the legs, which is worsened by prolonged sitting as it causes blood to pool in your legs. This is a particularly dangerous condition because if a piece of the blood clot breaks off and travels to the brain, or lungs, it can be lethal.
The explanations for developing chronic diseases as a result of prolonged sitting include:
- change in hormone levels and immune system function
- consequential direct reduction in activity time
- engagement in associated unhealthy habits like snacking
2. Worsened mental health
There isn’t much research around examining the link between sitting and mental health. However, Better Health explains that prolonged sitting can lead to anxiety and depression by depriving the individual of the positive effects associated with physical activity and fitness.
Therefore, if you’ve been feeling down, try incorporating more exercise into your daily routine – take the stairs, walk to work, and/or stretch every 30 mins. Our Hernando Beach Dietitian talks more about how you can squeeze more exercise into your daily routine in our recent post “Is my 9-5 affecting my weight loss?”
3. Slowed weight loss
A sedentary lifestyle is always associated with reduced weight loss as movement helps the body digest fats and sugars. Thus, prolonged sitting makes your digestion inefficient, leading to those fats and sugars from food being stored in your body.
Also, lack of sufficient physical activity leads to slower metabolism, which will seriously affect your weight loss in Brooksville. As our Hernando Beach Dietitian explains in Boosting your metabolism: Part 1, slowing down your metabolism is detrimental to your weight loss and difficult to reverse. Experts suggest that incorporating as little as 60 minutes of moderate exercise into your daily routine can counteract the negative effects.
Find out more about our Hernando Beach Dietitian
Our highly qualified weight loss experts at Batista Weight loss and Wellness: Susan West-Opyoke, RDLD; John Batista, M.D.; Stephanie, M.A; and Valerie, Office Staff, together have decades of experience working with weight loss patients. They are passionate about promoting healthy living through their astonishing customized weight loss programs, which are clinically more developed – thanks to Dr. Batista.
At Batista Weight loss and Wellness we believe that successful weight loss depends on two factors – the knowledge about how to lose weight and following through on your weight loss plan. And our experts will guide you all throughout the process by providing you with a customized weight loss plan, and regular face-to-face interaction and motivation.
To create your own customized weight loss plan with us and achieve sustainable weight loss in Brooksville don’t hesitate to contact us on (352) 600-3476 or drop us a visit at our clinic: 443 Mariner Blvd, Spring Hill, FL 34609, USA.
The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.