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Did you know that prolonged sitting can significantly increase your risk of major disease? Scientists have discovered that sitting has profoundly negative effects on the way the body processes fat and cholesterol that can lead to the most deadly diseases that are so common in our society today. Fat in the bloodstream processed from the food we eat and used by the muscles as fuel is normally broken down by an enzyme called lipase. The problem seems to be that the circulation of lipase is shut down when the body is inactive for long periods such as when we are sitting. When lipase is not doing its job it leaves fat in the bloodstream circulating around doing mischief clogging arteries until eventually being stored as body fat. Studies are showing that people who sit a lot have two to three times the rates of being overweight and obese which is the forerunner to heart disease and diabetes. The experts doing this research referred this chair time as an 'insidious health hazard'. For most people chair time is indeed hazardous for two reasons. 1) When sitting with improper posture the spine is forced out of its normal shape. This puts extra strain on the muscles, joint and the discs in the spine leading to spinal degeneration and back pain, and 2) sitting for too long causes the body's systems to remain idle and not working well which can complicate other health problems. The human body needs movement, lots of vigorous activity to stimulate and activate its systems. To protect yourself from this modern day problem firstly you need to get started on a proper exercise program that contains mostly strength training exercise to keep the muscles strong. Just 2-3 sessions each week are all that is needed if the right intensity (degree of effort) is used so the exercises are effective. You also need to take time out during the day at every opportunity to give your body the movement it needs. Even beside your chair or desk you can do some slow deep squats on two legs or even one which will make it more intense. Hold on to the desk if you need to for balance. Try and get up and move around at least every hour, more often if you can.
Our body was made to be active -very active and was not made for sitting. Our genetic blueprint is what it is and is not going to change anytime soon. Think of your exercise program not as some frivolous 'optional' undertaking but necessary preventative medicine to help combat our inactive lifestyles. This may not be want you want to hear as most people do not want to know about anything that may require some physical effort on their part. But if you want a long healthy disease free life you may be to concede that this is indeed what is needed to help offset the damage that sitting for up to 80 percent of the 16 hours we are awake each day does to our bodies. Only you will know if you are indeed spending too much chair time. If so, try and reduce some of it and replace that time with physical movement and who knows - you may enjoy it so much you will look for tasks that you can do standing or moving around and further limit that time sitting.
Do you want to discover the secret to rejuvenating your body, regaining lost vitality and improving the quality of your life? Download my free ebook ''I Have Found the Fountain of Youth - Let Me Show You Too!" http://www.over50looking30.com Carolyn Hansen is a certified fitness expert and fitness center owner who in her nearly 30 years of fitness and bodybuilding competition experience she has helped thousands of people start their journey towards losing weight, becoming strong, fit and youthful at any age. Sign up for her free newsletter on Weight Loss Tips http://FitnessWeightloss.com and get her free report ''Discover ‘Secrets That Most People Will Never Know About To Really Lose Weight".
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