Making Sitting Less a Habit: Challenge 1
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themedalist
Posts: 3,215 Member
Theme: Exercise and Movement
Challenge: Making Sitting Less a Habit (Part 1)
First Challenge: Laying the Foundation to Sit Less
Let's spend the first two weeks of October focused on sitting less and moving more. Paying attention to how much you sit and taking steps to sit less is a critical element of your overall health. As we'll see from the resources below, excessive sitting has been linked to heart disease, strokes, diabetes, cancer, joint pain, and even depression. We all need to sit less and move more.
The good news is it doesn't take a monumental shift in your sitting habits to have a real impact in improving your health. You don't have to go from sitting a lot to hardly ever sitting. Let's ease into sitting less and make it a sustainable new habit.
Let's begin by simply observing over the next few days when and why we sit. Noticing when we sit can spur ideas for how we might do things differently. For example, if you typically start each day sitting with your laptop or tablet scanning emails, favorite websites, and social media, could you do that standing up? If you have some favorite television shows that you enjoy, could you break up that sitting by walking around during commercials or pausing the show every 20 minutes or so to take a stretch break and move around for a couple of minutes? These small shifts in habits have a disproportionately big impact on your health.
Our First Challenge: In addition to observing your sitting patterns over the new few days, please review the links below on sitting disease and ideas for sitting less. These resources are a good foundation for understanding why we need to sit less and how we can make some changes to our daily routine that will have us out of that chair and up and moving.
Second Challenge This Wednesday: Rather than our usual check-in post on Wednesday, we will have a new sit less challenge this Wednesday. Look for that!
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Suggested Resources:
Is Sitting That Bad?
http://www.quittingthesitting.org/sitting-disease.html
Our Favorite Ways to Sit Less and Move More
http://www.quittingthesitting.org/ideas.html
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Challenge: Making Sitting Less a Habit (Part 1)
First Challenge: Laying the Foundation to Sit Less
Let's spend the first two weeks of October focused on sitting less and moving more. Paying attention to how much you sit and taking steps to sit less is a critical element of your overall health. As we'll see from the resources below, excessive sitting has been linked to heart disease, strokes, diabetes, cancer, joint pain, and even depression. We all need to sit less and move more.
The good news is it doesn't take a monumental shift in your sitting habits to have a real impact in improving your health. You don't have to go from sitting a lot to hardly ever sitting. Let's ease into sitting less and make it a sustainable new habit.
Let's begin by simply observing over the next few days when and why we sit. Noticing when we sit can spur ideas for how we might do things differently. For example, if you typically start each day sitting with your laptop or tablet scanning emails, favorite websites, and social media, could you do that standing up? If you have some favorite television shows that you enjoy, could you break up that sitting by walking around during commercials or pausing the show every 20 minutes or so to take a stretch break and move around for a couple of minutes? These small shifts in habits have a disproportionately big impact on your health.
Our First Challenge: In addition to observing your sitting patterns over the new few days, please review the links below on sitting disease and ideas for sitting less. These resources are a good foundation for understanding why we need to sit less and how we can make some changes to our daily routine that will have us out of that chair and up and moving.
Second Challenge This Wednesday: Rather than our usual check-in post on Wednesday, we will have a new sit less challenge this Wednesday. Look for that!
...............................................................................................
Suggested Resources:
Is Sitting That Bad?
http://www.quittingthesitting.org/sitting-disease.html
Our Favorite Ways to Sit Less and Move More
http://www.quittingthesitting.org/ideas.html
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I have been spending so much time sitting in front of both the tv and the computer following the news back home, it has done me no good. Seriously. I need to let this go. I am so happy I came here today and saw this challenge. Thank you!3
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I have been sitting at my desk working 15 hours a day for weeks now. I worked all day yesterday when I should have been having family time and I'm working again today. I have gained so much weight in the last month between sitting at my desk and emotional eating, that I feel really down. So this is exactly what i needed to see today! I have worn my FitBit on my wrist for the past week with no battery charge. What is the point of that? Thank you so much for posting this. I am going to charge my FitBit right now while I'm thinking of it.
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I have back issues where I can't stand for long periods of time but that also means I can't sit for long periods of time either.. But I do find myself sitting longer than I should .. Just need to get up and move.5
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I'm so glad that this challenge will be helpful to all of you! Most of us do sit way too much and it's not good.
@jcraft8, getting up and moving is the best solution. Most recommendations that I've seen encourage people to get up and move after 20 or 30 minutes of sitting. Even a minute or two of walking, moving, or stretching is really helpful.2 -
@OConnell5483 Charge it and add folks to challenges. That keeps me accountable.3
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Starting the day with extra motion revs up my motor and makes me want to keep going. 23 minutes of classical stretch ignited the fire this morning. Next task is to keep it burning throughout the day.4
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I try to start my days with a quick 10-15 minute walk around my backward. Then I try to break up my day with more 10-15 minute walks. An hour long walk is hard to fit in, but I can usually spare 10 minutes.2
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The last several weeks have been stressful for me in several ways and I found myself increasingly reacting by reverting back to my past habits of mindless eating, especially while watching mindless TV, or recently more often than not the news, during the day. I also wasn't sleeping well so I'd fall asleep in front of the TV and discover that I lost several hours upon awakening. Which was bad for me because then my sleep that night was all off again. Then a difficult next day would follow. Not a good cycle to allow myself to be in at all. So I am grateful for these next two weeks.
My observations today began this morning when I decided I needed to face the scale because I could tell that I had gained back some pounds because of how poorly I was eating and not moving as much the last several weeks. Then after facing that my observations comprised mostly of catching myself so that I would not continue the downward trend of the past several weeks. Because of becoming aware and also motivated again, I ate much better today. I was also much more productive today both in running some errands and getting things done around here. I did not sit and veg in front of the TV today.
When I got on the computer it took a good while before I observed that I have definitely been forgetting to set the timer on my browser
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Alright, time to walk the dog.....
By the way I really like the new infographics above! Thank you
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:flowerforyou:
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@nebslp and @77tes, I think starting the day with a dose of activity is a terrific idea. You are off on a good foot!
@texasgardnr, I think we can all relate to your downward shift. Good habits collaborate together, and unfortunately bad habits like to tag team too. And when sleep isn't the best it only aggravates the situation.
Good for you for facing it head on and applying the brakes. I'm glad today was a better day for you and I'm sure it's the start of a very good trend!2 -
I have made one observation so far: I have a strong feeling that some of my increased depression as of late probably has to do with inactivity.
I will get back to standing and moving every hour while at work. I have a timer set on my phone but I've been ignoring it.
I faced the scale as well today because I have been struggling with depression and haven't been eating well at all. This needs to change and this is one of the ways to help.3 -
Welcome back, @jlperiard! I have missed you! And I think you are right. Bouts of depression are often amplified by inactivity. I have several friends who manage their depression by regularly walking.
Researchers tell us that we shouldn't wait to feel motivated in order to do something. Rather, we should take the tiniest step that doesn't require motivation and that motivation will usually follow after we begin taking action. For those who are struggling to get moving, the tiny step might be to put on your walking shoes and walk for 2 minutes. That's a huge first step because it puts you in motion.
I think your plan to resume regular standing and moving is wonderful! Go you!3 -
Had a three hour town hall meeting yesterday at work. Stood in the back for 2 hrs instead of sitting all the time.4
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springtimez wrote: »Had a three hour town hall meeting yesterday at work. Stood in the back for 2 hrs instead of sitting all the time.
Way to go, @springtimez! Looking for opportunities to swap some sitting time for standing or moving/walking is important. And two hours is a terrific! Well done!
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themedalist wrote: »Welcome back, @jlperiard! I have missed you! And I think you are right. Bouts of depression are often amplified by inactivity. I have several friends who manage their depression by regularly walking.
Researchers tell us that we shouldn't wait to feel motivated in order to do something. Rather, we should take the tiniest step that doesn't require motivation and that motivation will usually follow after we begin taking action. For those who are struggling to get moving, the tiny step might be to put on your walking shoes and walk for 2 minutes. That's a huge first step because it puts you in motion.
I think your plan to resume regular standing and moving is wonderful! Go you!
Thank you very much. I definitely am struggling with my depression. The one very difficult thing about even taking the tiniest step is that feeling of hopelessness and who cares and why bother. That feeling is incapacitating.
Acting "as if" can seem overwhelming and futile even though deep down inside I know it works. I'm very grateful that I'm not feeling that stage of depression right now and they're changing my meds.4 -
I am struggling too with depression caused by my menopause and all the symptoms that come with it. Also I am from Puerto Rico and my island home was devastated by hurricane Maria, still have not heard from some family members. Although I have been indulging more than I want to, I have been very mindful of portions and keeping active. Standing up while using my electronics seem to work, also timing myself keeps me seated less time. This was a great challenge. Glad to see everyone putting so much effort in it!3
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springtimez wrote: »Had a three hour town hall meeting yesterday at work. Stood in the back for 2 hrs instead of sitting all the time.
Amazing!
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@prgirl39mfp, I do hope that you hear from family soon. I have been praying for the people in Puerto Rico and about the destruction in Puerto Rico caused by hurricane Maria. It has been hard to comprehend the devastation being caused by the recent hurricanes and earthquakes. Hugs and blessings.
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texasgardnr wrote: »@prgirl39mfp, I do hope that you hear from family soon. I have been praying for the people in Puerto Rico and about the destruction in Puerto Rico caused by hurricane Maria. It has been hard to comprehend the devastation being caused by the recent hurricanes and earthquakes. Hugs and blessings.
:flowerforyou:
Thank you. It has been hard, trying to keep a positive mindset. Appreciate your prayers.3
