huffingtonpost - 10 hours ago

Person sitting at workYou might have heard that sitting all day “is the new smoking”.This, the American Journal of Public Health says, is an unfair comp they “are not comparable,” and the “misleading” line “may serve to distort and trivialise the ongoing and serious risks of smoking”. This is not, however, to say that staying inactive is good for us. A sedentary lifestyle, including lots of sitting, is linked to type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and even early death.So when Joanna Dase, a global fitness expert at Curves, shared how she’d reccomend undoing the damage from not moving much in the day, we listened. Here are her top tips: 1) Stretch your hip flexors Get knee and ankle aches? The issue may actually come from weak or misaligned hips, which can be worsened by sitting all day. “To avoid this, incorporate gentle hip stretches into your routine, such as standing lunges or pigeon pose, to counteract stiffness,” Dase said.“You can modify these exercises as needed, but aim to hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds on each side and repeat every 2-3 hours to consistently loosen any tight muscles.” 2) Build some strength training into your routineBuilding muscle is a great way to protect yourself from age-related muscle loss, and, per Dase, it may be especially useful for those who sit a lot. “Sedentary behaviour can cause muscles to weaken over time because they aren’t being used or challenged,” she advised. “This doesn’t mean you need to be at the gym every day of the week. In reality, a 30-minute fitness programme that combines strength training, cardio and stretching can help rebuild muscle endurance, improve circulation, and release tension in tight muscles.” Two to three times a week can go a long way, she added. 3) Take movement breaksAlso known as “movement snacking”, Dase is a fan of trends that encourage workers to get up from their desks every now and then to move. “I would suggest walking or performing light stretches every hour or two,” she told us.“Make sure to focus on opening up the hips and arching the spine when stretching, as these areas often take the most strain from sitting too long... Even 10-minute sessions of gentle activity, 3x a day, can add up throughout the day.”4) Strengthen your coreYou might not realise it, but your core is actually a group of muscles that extend way beyond your abs, and include parts of your back too. Strengthening this, then, is key to fighting the “negative effects of sitting all day, such as lower back pain and reduced stability.“Exercises like planks, bridges, and bicycle crunches engage deeper stabilising muscles that protect and strengthen your midsection... Incorporating core workouts 2–3 times a week helps activate underused muscles, improve torso control, and keep the body from slipping into ‘idle mode,’” Dase ended. Related...4 Ways To Make Your Daily Walk More EffectiveThe No. 1 Fitness Mistake Most Men Make, According To Physical TherapistsI Tried The 6-6-6 Walking Challenge, And It Got Me Out Of An Exercise Rut

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