A new study has shown that sitting for long periods of time may be as bad for you as smoking! Inactivity is definitely a contributor to heart disease and obesity. Being sedentary is not natural for our bodies; when we move towards less activity our bodies move towards acting as storage containers versus the agile and energized machines they should be. The workplace CAN be a health hazard…or you can turn it around!   Read more about the study here.
I have a desk job, what can I do?

Many of us are sitting at our desks 7-8 hours—or more—a day. If it’s the nature of your work, you CAN break up the sedentary cycle with a few brisk breaks. People may think you’re always in a hurry or just suddenly more energetic or maybe even a little kooky, but that’s okay. The key is to take brisk breaks and to be BRISK.

1.  FAST walk, inside or out, every time you walk.

2.  Take the stairs whenever possible, two at a time if you can

3.  Exercise in your office or break room.  See MTF for At Work.

4.  Stretch to increase circulation and blood flow

These simple steps will go a—surprisingly—long way toward enhancing your overall health and well-being and you are worth it.

And the most sedentary US city is?
2011: Lexington, KY. “What hurt Lexington most was the actual amount of activity, or exercise, people reported engaging in — any physical activity at all, which was relatively low.  And they did have higher rates of deaths from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) as well,” said Matt Marion, deputy editor of Men’s Health.

Good news: Seattle, San Francisco and Oakland, California were the most physically active!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110627/od_nm/us_usa_cities_odds

Myth: Natural or herbal weight-loss products are safe and effective.

Products labeled “natural” and “herbal” do not mean they are safe OR that they work.  Some can cause serious health problems and combining weight loss products with other medications can also cause serious damage. Best bet: speak to your physician before using ANY weight loss product, natural, herbal or otherwise.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/herbal-supplements/SA00044

Myth: Weight loss is the same as fat loss.

Not so. Have you ever seen someone who is thin but looks unhealthy, who weighs less than you or in contrast see someone fit and lean that weighs 20 pounds more?  Would you rather lose muscle mass or body fat regardless of what the scale says?  Jade Teta of Metabolic Effect clarifies: “Where weight loss is about quantity of food eaten and [length of] time exercise is done, fat loss is about the quality of food and the type of exercise.”
http://www.metaboliceffect.com/topic/38-weight-loss-vs-fat-loss.aspx

Myth: Cardio should be performed within the “fat burning zone”

Have you ever checked out the automated programs on cardio equipment at the gym labeled Fat Loss Zone? This generally means steady-state cardiovascular exercise without variation in intensity. Cranking up the intensity allows you to  burn more total calories and CONTINUE to burn calories and fat post-workout. Confused about HIIT (high intensity interval training)?  It’s worth a few minutes read for the time it will save you during you workouts!
http://ca.askmen.com/sports/bodybuilding_100/135_fitness_tip.html

Not looking forward to hitting the beach this weekend? While change doesn’t happen overnight, you will notice improvements right away with the right exercises and a lean, clean diet, so why not start firming up your lower half with this lower body workout?  With consistency and persistence you will see positive results each week…likely even each day!

Check out more workouts just like this one here! And, as always, thanks to collaborator Carla Birnberg our My Trainer Fitness MizFit!