It's NOT how active but how many hours a day you are active

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Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I have a desk job...and I'm pretty friggin' fit. Outside of the office I'm generally pretty active even without deliberate exercise, but I do sit most of the day at my desk...and like I said...I'm pretty friggin' fit.

    Thank you...

    I did google to see if I could find anything credible...mayoclinic had something but it was more about those who are currently not fit and overweight that this would benefit...
  • kynsie2
    kynsie2 Posts: 35 Member
    People have to sit at some point. I don't think we have to be active 16 hrs a day. The stress from that would be worse than sitting. Sit to eat, watch a movie to relax, do bills, go to the bathroom. Standing on your feet all day is not good either. Leg pains, sore feet, back ache etc.
    I get up an sit for an hr or 2 then clean then sit for about an hr then walk a mile then sit awhile, then start all over again.
    I think some things are taken to the extremes.
    There's always new studies out and each year they revise what they said the year before.
    If you aren't suppose to sit more than a couple hrs a day and if you do, it negates what ever you have done for the day, walking, biking, what ever then 90% of the population are not only in trouble, they are wasting their time getting out and doing anything.
  • husseycd
    husseycd Posts: 814 Member
    I have a standing desk at work (as well as the option to sit). I haven't noticed more calorie burns or anything, but I definitely prefer standing to sitting. Supposedly a woman my size burns an extra 20 calories or so standing vs. sitting. I do think when I sat all day, I got up and walked more, which I'm sure makes a bigger difference.

    I do know that getting up and walking around makes a huge difference. According to my Bodymedia (which I do believe is pretty accurate), on days I'm truly sedentary, like actually sick, I only burn about 1800 calories/day. If I don't exercise, but I'm generally active, it's more like 2000 calories/day. That may not seem like much, but it's a pretty big difference for just doing normal day-to-day activities.
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
    Or if you sit you can get a excercise ball to sit on instead of the chair. You could rig up resistant bands to your desk and or your chair. I work maintaince so I can be as active as I choose or not choose I consistanly go up and down stairs walk try to limit my time at my desk. Almost time for my lunch hour run Or theres these

    http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ny2xR6E8--/18kzxtpxz42b3jpg.jpg

    http://www.lifespanfitness.com/tr800-dt7-treadmill-desk.html?gclid=CLzUmJym6L8CFQiFaQodn6MA9g
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    There was a piece in the NYTimes a few months ago saying you should get up at least once an hour and move for 5 minutes to keep your metabolism functioning at a reasonable level. It was in a piece on standing desks.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I LOVE sitting an exercise ball - and do at work. After weight loss it took inches and inches off everywhere I needed it and improved my posture unbelievably. I didn't even use the seatback in my car any more.
  • JennetteMac
    JennetteMac Posts: 763 Member


    what's your job to be able to spend 9 hours a day not sitting?

    Let's see...

    Waitress
    Cashier
    Salesperson
    Post office
    Carpenter / Electrician / Mason / plumber
    Medical Professional
    Teacher (usually, most of my teachers stood for all of the class period)
    Bartender
    Cook / Kitchen worker
    Gas station attendant (busy station of course)
    Meter maid
    Road construction worker
    Fitness / sports instructor
    Police officer - depending on patrol type


    You mirrored my thoughts!
  • mayfrayy
    mayfrayy Posts: 198 Member
    false.
    to a certain extent.
  • mike_ny
    mike_ny Posts: 351 Member
    Get a stand up desk is you can (just raising the keyboard, mouse, & monitor will do it). I started doing that a couple years ago and once I found out that I had more energy throughout the day and afterwards by not sitting all day, I was hooked. Standing most of the day also burns somewhere around 200+ calories over sitting all day, and that besides any metabolism benefits.

    My co-workers gave me a good ribbing at first, but then they got used to it and after noticing me dropping weight (for various reasons), they started looking at it more positively, but most were reluctant to ever do it themselves.

    The woman from HR noticed it one day and looked at me strange and asked me about why I was doing it. Ironically she had sent out a newsletter just a couple weeks before encouraging people to sit less. I guess she never bothers to read the canned health information newsletters she sends out to everyone.

    If a standing workstation is just not an option, get up when you can. Talking on the phone, reading, and many other activities are fine while standing.

    If your building has more than one floor, then use the stairs as often as you can. If you work on the first floor, use the restroom and coffee machine on the second floor. That'll add several flights of stairs into a normally low activity day.
  • mike_ny
    mike_ny Posts: 351 Member
    Most people. Have no idea how many total hours they spend sitting. Adding up eating, driving/commuting, sitting at a desk, reading, watching TV, and everything else one usually does while sitting really adds up. A typical person with a desk job and a 30 minute commute who watches a few hours of TV on an average day can spend around 15-16 hours sitting. When you figure the 6-8 hours for lying down for sleeping, that's only maybe 1-2 hours left for standing or being active.

    Take a day and add up your time sitting. You'll be shocked how it adds up.

    I work at a stand up desk and do most of my reading at the island in the kitchen. I also watch very little TV. Back when I sat all day and always sat to read, I was sitting at least 12 hours a day. Now, I sit at most about 4 hours a day and more often maybe 3.

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