Why We Need to Challenge a Sedentary Lifestyle and Incorporate Movement Daily to Maintain Good Health
Did you know that the average Canadian will spend eight plus hours per day engaged in a sedentary activity? A sedentary lifestyle has many negative side effects, including an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and many other terminal diseases. While we do live in a world of desk jobs and Netflix and chill date nights, it’s important to incorporate movement into your daily life to maintain good health. Here are just some of the reasons why you should and how you can incorporate movement into your everyday life.
A Sedentary Lifestyle Can Negatively Affect Your Mental Health
Living a sedentary doesn’t just affect your physical health, but it can also take a toll on your mental health as well. Physical activity has been proven to show an increase in overall happiness and energy throughout the day. However, if you are living a sedentary life, it can have the opposite effect. You will start to feel sluggish, tired, and you could even develop depression.
Challenging a Sedentary Lifestyle Will Help You Build Better Habits
As you start to incorporate more movement into your life, you will also find that you are building better habits as well. Active people tend to eat better and have a better mental health state than people who aren’t. They also feel more energized and are focused on building better and healthier habits for the long term. If you learn to challenge your sedentary lifestyle, this will help you start creating better habits that will improve your health.
Be More Aware Of Your Activity Levels
If you are transitioning from a sedentary lifestyle, then it will take some getting used to. You will need to learn to be more aware of your physical activity and may have to make adjustments to fit in more movement into your daily life. Where you may have sat for an entire workday, you may have to schedule breaks to ensure you are getting enough movement into your day.
Find Pockets Of Time To Move More
You don’t have to start running every day to see the benefits of more movement. Start by standing at your desk for even just a few minutes each day. Park a little further away the next time you’re in a parking lot. Consider taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and be aware of those small pockets of time that you can use to be more physically active.
Living An Active Lifestyle Goes Against The Norm
Living an active lifestyle goes against everything we are used to! In a world of Amazon Prime and grocery delivery, there will be very few opportunities to go out into the world to get your needs. This means you will have to be intentional about your trips out and plan your life to be more active. There will be many obstacles in your way, and many people won’t understand. You don’t have to give up your daily Netflix, but try scheduling a quick 10-minute workout in between shows, or avoid binge-watching when you can.
Living a less sedentary life may take some getting used to. However, the benefits of living a more active lifestyle will far outway the consequences of living a sedentary one.
