I have a double dose of guilt everyday when it comes to exercise and sedentary work.
My job is to sit in front of a microphone or computer screen for 8 hours each day so there isn't much "naturally occurring" movement throughout the day. At the same time I have a wrist watch that beeps every so often reminding me to exercise or move and when its not proactively nagging me I have the subtle guilt of working with a morning show partner (Lance Tormey) who takes several breaks throughout the day to walk...and walk....and walk some more to the tune of about 5 and a half to six miles every day!
Needless to say this next story is not meant for him! But it is meant for me and maybe for you?!
The headline reads :THREE MINUTES OF EXERCISE FOR EACH SEATED HOUR CUTS RISK OF EARLY DEATH
According to
Yahoo News, If you spend most of your waking hours sitting down you’re living a sedentary lifestyle. Studies have shown that living this way can put you at higher risk of early death, but a new study finds that spending three minutes doing exercise for every hour spent sitting can lower that death risk. Trading 3 for 60 sounds like an interesting deal so let's dig a little deeper.
Researchers out of Scotland found that balancing out your sedentary lifestyle with running or brisk walking can lower the risk of premature death by 30 percent. They also note that for those unable to do three minutes of intense exercise, 12 minutes of light activity (such as gentle walking or housework) can be substituted instead.
You say you don't have a 12 minute window in your busy but sedentary day? Not to worry, the exercise can be spread across the day. Researchers say the hours you don’t spend seated should be spent generally moving around as much as you can on getting a good night’s sleep.
Check out these exercises that can help get you started.
