How To Avoid Becoming Sedentary Despite Going To The Gym
You’ve done your workout for the day and you’re feeling pretty chuffed. If the rest of the waking day is spent driving (to the shops, work, etc.), sitting at a desk all day before driving home to sit on the sofa to watch television, for example, you are - in fact - sedentary. Read on to discover how to avoid this fate.
Movement does not have to be viewed as yet another accomplishment worn as a badge of honour, nor should it be viewed as a chore. It is simply something that we evolved to do as human beings to meet our need for food, shelter and play.
There are 24 hours in a day and we need 8 hours of sleep. That leaves 16 hours a day in which to move our bodies. This is best achieved via a combination of gym movement and non-gym movement.
Whether you train in a gym or not, both resistance training and cardio are regarded as gym movement.
I recommend a slow, gentle start with easily achievable goals that you can build on over a period of time. I love Katy Bowman's concept of stacking one's life to accommodate natural and varied movement on your own or as a group and/or family. For example:
Pepper your day with varied movement breaks. Even the most dedicated gym goer is prone to prolonged periods of sitting. A one-hour workout cannot make up for spending the rest of the day driving to work, sitting at a desk all day before driving home to sit on the sofa to watch television, for example. Aim for a 5-minute standing break every hour, stack it by adding some stretches and vary what you do each time. You might get some strange looks at work but it will be a small price to pay when you find that you become more energised, productive and supple over time as a result.
Hang. Trees, door frames and climbing frames in parks are free and offer opportunities to improve your grip strength, the loss of which is unprecedented in our modern age. If you are new to hanging, start with short stints and increase the duration (in small increments) as it begins to feel less challenging.
Walk as often as you can. A 5-minute walk taken periodically throughout the day is absolutely fine to begin with. You can eventually progress to running errands on foot in your local area or longer walks in nature. Try to do this in progressively thinner-soled shoes until your feet feel strong enough for barefoot ones. Barefoot shoes have ultra-thin soles and, therefore, enable your feet to feel the terrain they are walking on. This sends sensory feedback to your brain which helps it to advise your body on appropriate adjustments to your gait, greatly minimising the risk of injury.
Lift other heavy things over long distances. “Weightlifting” doesn’t have to be restricted to the gym. Walking to the shops means you will have to put in extra effort to bring your purchases home - especially if you are shopping for the week. You can choose to go with your children, friends or partner if you want to start with a lighter load to begin with. You could also take/pick up parcels to/from the Post Office on foot, depending on how big/heavy they are and what you feel you can manage over a certain distance. Walks with children often present opportunities to give them piggyback rides when they get tired.
Do as much of your own housework - and gardening - as possible. Try this with your favourite music on and get your children involved.
Dance.