As human beings we are built to move, not be sedentary. Yes our diets are greatly contributing to the massive surge in obesity in the western world throughout the last generation, but our lack of movement is just as important.
Modern life is just too comfortable. We sit way too much! And, after sitting all day staring at a computer, we don't have the time or the energy to work out when we get home, so we sit again for a few hours, watch TV, go to bed, and repeat.
So, what is the solution - should we all go to our boss and demand a standing desk? The answer is yes, but with some caveats!
Standing will burn way more calories than sitting. However, if you go from sitting all day to suddenly standing all day without starting in smaller increments then expect some back and foot pain while your body builds up the stamina and muscle power.
Also, standing doesn't get our heart rate up and doesn't contribute to the minimum 10,000 steps a day that we should all be aiming for. So, you still need to park further away from your office building or the grocery store, skip the elevator if you only need to go up a few floors, or anything else creative you can think of to make yourself walk!
The best solution is to actually get a desk that varies between sitting and standing. This way you can stand for 20-30 minute intervals and then sit for 5 minutes, and then repeat.
If you think your boss might deny your request for a standing or variable desk, ask your Chiropractor to write you a note, and be persistent. Because, sitting all day without moving around enough, combined with a poor diet means things like diabetes, heart attacks, or cancer become a matter of when, not if!
If you have already started using a standing desk then please share below how it has helped you!
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