Move More Month

You’ve probably heard the phrase “sitting is the new smoking” in recent years. This scary and truthful statement comes from a study published more than 10 years ago that followed more than 800,000 individuals and their sitting habits. The study found that people who sit the most, compared to people who sit the least, have a greater risk of disease and death.?

Specifically, they are 112% more likely to have diabetes, 147% more likely to have a heart attack or stroke, 90% more likely to die from a heart attack or stroke, and 49% more likely to die from any cause. Not comforting news given that more than 25% of us sit for more than 8 hours each day and almost half of us get little to no exercise.?

In fact, the average person is active less than 20 minutes per day.?

This is why I was so captivated by the fact that April is Move More Month. Even though I consider myself a very active person and I pride myself on exercising regularly, I spend more time than I would like to admit sitting at my computer during the day or on the couch at night. And the research demonstrating the risks of these behaviors is astounding.?

When you spend too much time sitting, blood flow slows down, allowing fatty acids to build up in circulating predisposing to heart disease. Slow circulation can also predispose to blood clots, which occur more commonly in people who sit for prolonged periods.?

Sitting for extended periods of time also leads to insulin resistance, which can lead to type 2 diabetes and obesity, two major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Additionally, the body processes fat more slowly while sedentary because production of lipoprotein lipase drops by 90%; this means that fat is stored instead of metabolized.?

So, while it’s relaxing to sit and “put your feet up” after a long day of work (or while typing out all of your medical records during work), the negative health ramifications are undeniable.

And what’s the good news you ask??

Believe it or not, just 1 hour or more of moderate activity (e.g., walking at a steady pace) can counter the effects of too much sitting. Not to mention there are many different ways to incorporate movement into your day and reduce the total amount of time spent sedentary.?

Here are just a few suggestions to build more movement into your day:

• If you drive to work, park farther away so that you can incorporate a walk into your day.?
• Invest in standing computer stations (bonus points for treadmill desks) to allow for enhanced circulation and movement while typing.?
• Stand, pace, or walk while speaking on the phone (this can be done at home if it isn’t possible at work).
• Take stand or stretch breaks regularly by setting an alarm, utilizing activity monitor alerts, or choosing a triggering event. For example, when I am working through medical records, after I finish one record, I will get up to check patients, shuffle paperwork, or take a bathroom break to stay active.?
• If you have stairs in your home or workplace, try to take them whenever possible (especially if given the option of stairs vs elevators). When working from home, I will often go upstairs to use my ensuite bathroom just to incorporate more movement into my routine.?
• Plan walking meetings if appropriate to allow for exercise and conversation at the same time. Most meetings do not require note-taking and often creative thought and problem-solving are stimulated by movement.?
• Bike, walk, or run to work if possible. I have a personal rule that if I can walk somewhere in < 20 minutes, I will leave my car at home and get there on foot instead (the benefit of living in the inner city).?
• Pair activities with other habits you do every day. My busy physiotherapist is a big fan of doing little things here and there to build muscle and cardiovascular fitness. For example, doing squats while checking your phone or holding a plank while the coffee is brewing.?
• Go for a walk during your lunch break. Even if you don’t have a long time, just 10-20 minutes of brisk movement around your hospital will give you a breath of fresh air, a burst of energy, and a break from the hustle and bustle of your workday.?

And of course, enough cannot be said about the benefits of regular exercise. If you struggle to incorporate exercise into your daily routine, please check out this month’s blog post “Seven Strategies for Getting More Exercise”.??

If you are interested in hearing more about the health benefits of an active lifestyle and all the ways that you can incorporate movement into your day, please join me on Wednesday April 20th, 2022 (10:30 - 11:00 AM Mountain Time / 12:30 - 1:00 PM Eastern Time) for a Wellness Wednesday Live Session called “How Movement Boosts Wellbeing”. You can register for this session via Zoom or join Facebook Live. The episode will also be recorded for those who cannot attend live, so please subscribe to my YouTube channel for notification when the recording is uploaded.?

I hope you can incorporate more movement into your life throughout the rest of April and I look forward to hearing how it goes!

Sincerely, Marie?

PS - Because April is also financial literacy month, I partnered with Florida Veterinary Advisors to create a 7-day Financial Wellness Challenge! After signing up, you will receive an email each day with a video and handout aimed at improving your financial wellbeing. This unique opportunity is free and I hope you’ll take advantage of it!?