To
avoid becoming sedentary seniors, I convinced my husband to get a couple of Flexspot bicycle desks. We can cycle while reading or watching TV. It makes sense because we spend a lot of time sitting during the day. We don’t want to join the ranks of sedentary seniors who spend an hour exercising but then are on their butts the rest of the day.
Is sitting the new smoking? You hear this from the Mayo Clinic, the National Institute of Health, doctors and health experts everywhere. Any extended sitting—behind the wheel, in front of the computer, TV, at a desk—is detrimental to your health on a cellular level. To seniors this can be deadly as it leads to frailty, falls, and compromised immune systems.
Analysis of data from more than 1 million people found that 60 to 75 minutes of moderately intense physical activity a day countered the effects of too much sitting. That’s a lot for most seniors, so the alternative is not to sit so much. How? Here’s what the Mayo Clinic suggests:
- Take a break from sitting every 30 minutes.
- Stand while talking on the phone or watching television.
- Try a standing desk—or improvise with a high table or counter.
Right now, with the days becoming noticeably shorter, it’s easy to be tempted to ditch our workouts. But it comes with a high cost. Sitting too much is linked to risks of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, depression and early death.
From our book War on Aging
We’d be foolish to give in to the lure of a comfy armchair with a good book or Netflix. One more example of how we can’t give in if we are to gain a foothold in the War on Aging. Here are some more tips from our book:
Get Motivated: The secret to motivation is within you. Consider this: when sedentary people think about working out, their minds conjure up aches and pains, the fear of falling in icy, wet weather, not to mention the memories of times they’ve failed to get fit before. This habit can be broken. You have to know why it’s important to you to break that habit—and I mean on a profoundly emotional level. Do you want to stay alive for your grandchildren? Lower your risk of cancer? Finish writing your book?
Plan: Exercise routines are great for consistency, and they should include alternative options when plan A isn’t viable. For example, if you’re planning on a 60-minute hike outdoors, but you’re looking out the window at a storm, have a back-up plan. There are thousands of exercise and dance videos available online that can help you get your heart rate going and body moving.
Commit: Some days it’s easier than others—even here where we live in beautiful Ajijic, Mexico. Invariably, as I get ready to go to the gym, I’ll hear my excuses like not enough time, or too much back pain, etc. That’s why I’ve got built in “excuse-busters” in place. What works for me is an appointment with my trainer. I don’t want to keep her waiting. Consider asking someone to be your accountability partner. Communicate your plans to them (phone, email, text) and let them know what you are determined to do.
Do: If you’re headed out in cold weather, be sure to warm-up first. Walk indoors or jog in place for five minutes, and give your body time to adjust. Now, stop reading, and go do it!
One step against sitting, one step to winning the War on Aging.
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