You don’t need to be told one more time how important it is to exercise often. However, you will probably be surprised to learn what new research has clarified regarding what this really entails and what benefits you can expect from being physically active.
For example, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week. However, it encourages people to accumulate this exercise in bouts whenever they can throughout the day and reminds them that even activities like brisk walking or gardening “count”. In other words, it doesn’t take being a marathon runner to obtain the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.
Scientists have also studied health concerns related to overall time spent sitting, regardless of how much moderate or intense physical activity a person accumulates. Those who find ways to spend more of the day on their feet and take breaks in between periods of sitting experience significant reductions in all-cause mortality. Thus, simply standing up, even without doing any exercise at all, is likely healthier for you than sitting down. Note that the health benefits of sitting less are present for all people, even if they spend an hour or two a day participating in intense physical exercise.
With the importance of sitting less and moving more already evident, it is no surprise that other studies have called attention to the need to take more steps during the day. The evidence states that the more steps you take, the healthier you will be. Research on the correlation between daily walking and the likelihood of death during a given period shows that the benefit of taking more steps seems to tail off at around 7,500 to 10,000 steps a day, which is approximately 3-5 miles (1). While there are likely other benefits to be gained from walking more than 10,000 steps, since the average American takes less than 5,000 steps daily, most of us have a lot of improvement to make before we hit even that plateau of benefit (2).
It may be frustrating that we cannot put an exact recommended number for how often to take breaks from sitting each day, how many steps you should take, or how hard you should push yourself during exercise. Our bodies are just too complicated for one-size-fits-all answers regarding health. Furthermore, while some people love being competitive and tracking their health goals, one study found that those who tracked their daily steps walked more but enjoyed it less (3). For the healthiest people, exercise is not a chore, but a privilege. Thus, it is best if you focus on how to take more steps and add more physical activity to your lifestyle in normal, realistic ways. Consider the challenges related to and ways to be more physically active at work and during your leisure time:
Work-Related Physical Activity
Since the industrial revolution and even within the past few decades, technological advancements have drastically eliminated the need for physical activity in the workplace. While 50 percent of jobs required moderate physical activity in 1960, only 20 percent do today. Remarkably, the weight gain in Americans over that time is almost exactly correlated with the decrease in work-related physical activity during the same period when comparing caloric intake vs. expenditure (4). If you are among the majority of Americans who spends most of their workday sitting at a desk, you can do things to make your personal environment healthier.
Park at the first spot you see, rather than circling around to find one closer to the office. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. Talk to your coworkers in person instead of sending them a text or email, even if they work across campus. Use your lunch break to be active. Walk or bike to work in nice weather. Utilize the free public transportation available to you as a BYU employee, which still requires you to move more than driving a car. In the end, recognize that your job is unique and only you are aware of the opportunities and challenges to your health because of it.
Leisure Time Physical Activity
Television, movies, and video games have provided Americans with more enjoyable activities to participate in without being active. Instead, spend time with friends by going on a walk or run together. Take a break from sitting to stand up during a movie, or while reading or holding a baby. Volunteer to do the yard work or shovel your neighbor’s snow. Find an active hobby you enjoy. Even relaxed activities like Pickleball, dancing, Frisbee golf, tennis, recreational swimming and biking are much better for you than sitting on the couch. Ride an exercise bike while you read. Get more physically involved as your play with your kids.
The habits you form of being physically active will benefit you and your family for years to come. You will find that it is very doable to live a healthy and enjoyable lifestyle.
References
- Lee, I-Min, et al. “Association of Step Volume and Intensity With All-Cause Mortality in Older Women.” JAMA Internal Medicine, vol. 179, no. 8, Jan. 2019, p. 1105., doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.0899.
- Althoff, Tim, et al. “Large-Scale Physical Activity Data Reveal Worldwide Activity Inequality.” Nature International Journal of Science, 10 July 2017, doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/nature23018.
- Etkin, Jordan. “The Hidden Cost of Personal Quantification.” Journal of Consumer Research, vol. 42, no. 6, 2016, pp. 967–984., doi:10.1093/jcr/ucv095.
- Church, Timothy S., et al. “Trends over 5 Decades in U.S. Occupation-Related Physical Activity and Their Associations with Obesity.” PLoS ONE, vol. 6, no. 5, 2011, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0019657.