Standing Won't Make You Healthier
Meaningful Movement
Takeaway: In the 2010s, standing desks became the new leather jacket. Edgy, cool, with a bit of “stick it to the system” attitude. Turns out, standing doesn’t provide many health benefits. There is no substitute for physical movement.
Standing Won’t Make You Healthier
Standing desks became popular in the 2010s, as a solution to the growing concerns over adverse health effects of sitting for prolonged periods.
A new product category was launched and you could get all the bells and whistles. Even automatic standing desks with user settings to adjust to the perfect height at the push of a button.
Standing desks—and by proxy, standing at work—became cool.
A new study out of the UK looked at 80,000 adults. Their findings suggests that merely standing, while continuing to be mostly sedentary in their daily lives, does not reduce the risk of major health risks.
“The key takeaway is that standing for too long will not offset an otherwise sedentary lifestyle and could be risky for some people in terms of circulatory health. We found that standing more does not improve cardiovascular health over the long-term and increases the risk of circulatory issues,” the study authors said.
It appears that whether you’re sitting or standing doesn’t matter if you aren’t taking time to move your body.
There is no substitute for physical movement, not even standing. (Wish I would have known this before giving up my chair at the party last night.)
See the original article about this study here.
Easy Ways To Get Moving (That Don’t Suck)
If you aren’t already regularly exercising, here is a list of easy ways to get started today:
Walk for 10-20min while listening to a podcast or audiobook.
Ride your bike on the nearest nature trail.
Play a game of tag in the yard or at the park with your kids.
Put on some music and dance in the kitchen while making dinner. (Just be careful when handling knives!)
If you’re going to sit while watching tv, stand up. Then sit back down. Then stand up again… Squats. Do squats while you watch.
Steal my brother’s “3rd floor” rule: If the destination is 3 floors or less, take the stairs. (This includes parking garages.)
Take the dog for an extra walk. (Looking at you, fenced-in yard folks.)
Join A-Team Coach Chris Liddle’s “Park Far Away Club:” Park in the furthest parking lot spot away from your destination. Extra steps with a purpose.
Laser Tag.
Embrace your inner Indiana Jones and go geocaching.
Take a dance class.
Go bowling with friends instead of lunch.
Play catch outside with your kids.
Meet up with friends and throw a frisbee.
*This list isn’t exhaustive. Find something you enjoy and get moving.
P.S. If you’re struggling to get moving and improve your health, here are two ways I can help right now:
Free Trainer-Led Virtual Workouts every Saturday at 9am. Minimal or no equipment needed, can complete right from home. Held on zoom. All fitness levels welcome. Click here to register to receive the zoom links.
Book Your Complimentary Fitness Consultation. Speak directly with an A-Team coach to gain clarity on the best use of your energy to get the fastest results. Click here to book your call now.