Most people know that exercise is important for their health. Exercise has been shown to help with weight loss, improve mood, build and maintain strong bones and muscles, increase energy, and decrease the risk of chronic disease. As a result, many of us make it a point to get to the gym or engage in a physical activity to help improve our health.
Unfortunately, a new study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that sitting for prolonged periods of time decreased the metabolic benefits usually seen by exercising for an hour a day. The study looked at the body’s response to glucose, triglycerides and insulin, all risk factors for cardiovascular disease, which are usually improved with exercise. Prolonged sitting for 13 hours negated the healthy metabolic effects of exercise and there were no improvements in these levels.
While exercise is obviously important, we also need to be aware of our activities and movements throughout the entire day. If you have a desk job, make sure to get up, to stretch and to walk around every hour. Do your best to be as active as possible and to avoid sitting for lengthy periods of time. Your body and mind will thank you.
