Don't Sit Down!

katysmelly

I'm a SAHM, and I can happily spend most of my days sitting on the computer, surfing the net. That's why I've set my activity level to "sedentary."

Then, I read that women who sit for more than 6 hours a day are more likely to die. And, I thought about how maybe I should be less sedentary.

So, I have this new game I play with myself: NO SITTING DOWN ALLOWED!

Basically, I have to stay on my feet for two-to-three hour stretches at a time. I can sit down for "breaks" like lunch. But, the rest of the time, I gotta stay on my feet. I set myself a hefty to-do list full of cleaning and organizing chores. I take my toddler for "walks" around the neighbourhood. I do anything that isn't seated. I'll even read a magazine standing up. (I can check my email, etc. on my phone.) Sometimes, I'll set a timer and clean vigorously... and I record that time as exercise on here. I've left my settings as "sedentary" - but I can earn more calories to eat by being cleaning and recording the time.

Also, I don't count any of the housework I do in the evening as exercise. Only if I do it during the 8 hours my husband is at work - which is when I do my "job" of SAHM. I still prepare meals and tidy up in the evening, but I don't count that. Even sedentary people do that.

My house is really clean and I've been able to eat pretty decent-sized meals! I'm also banking calories for a big old slice of chocolate fudge cake this Sunday!

OK. Lunch break is over. Time to get up and do stuff, again!

xoxo

TylerJ76

Then, I read that women who sit for more than 6 hours a day are more likely to die. And, I thought about how maybe I should be less sedentary.

Everyone will die.

jcpmoore

Then, I read that women who sit for more than 6 hours a day are more likely to die. And, I thought about how maybe I should be less sedentary.

Everyone will die.

^^^^^
This.

katysmelly

LOL. You're right!

I guess I should clarify: during the course of the study (14 years), women who sat for 6 or more hours a day were 40% more likely to die.

Now, there's one thing that I am not clear on: did they control for the fact that dying people may be more sedentary?

Anyway, I guess I see this as my way of faking a higher metabolism. I'm sort of inspired by someone in my family who is very, very lethargic. They're also morbidly obese. I don't know which is cause and which is effect, but I have seen that person spend 10 out of 12 waking hours sitting in a chair. That made me think that I should make a real effort to be the opposite of that.

k8blujay2

I read that a little bit differently... what I read was that people (regardless of gender) that sit for at least 6 hours a day are twice as likely to die within 15 years, compared to people who sit for only 3 hours a day. It came from the "American Journal of Epidemiology".

k8blujay2

I have also read that sitting for numerous hours a day changes your body composition... Though standing has it's benefits, it also has it's own downfalls... particularly with people who stand to work all the time. There must be a healthy balance between the two.

katysmelly

I have also read that sitting for numerous hours a day changes your body composition... Though standing has it's benefits, it also has it's own downfalls... particularly with people who stand to work all the time. There must be a healthy balance between the two.

Yeah, I used to be a waitress, so I remember the aching feet! And, nobody wants varicose veins. But, how does one strike the balance. If I tot up my waking hours seated (including sitting for meals, surfing the 'net, watching TV, and driving a car) it's hard to stay under 6 hours. And that's not even taking into account knitting or reading, which I love to do.

Perhaps it's to do with how long you stay seated at once?