Category Archives: healthy lifestyle

Exercise: Is 15 Minutes a Day Enough?

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“I’m too busy to exercise.” Sound familiar? I hear it all the time. Between work and family responsibilities, a social life, and the million-and-one tasks of daily living, it’s easy to feel as though you don’t have a minute to spare. How could you possibly carve out time for regular exercise?

Public health officials recommend 30 minutes, 5 days a week as an exercise goal for health and fitness. If you’re sedentary, that may sound like a lot — but a recent study found that even 15 minutes a day of exercise may be beneficial.

Taiwanese researchers studied over 400,000 men and women of all ages across an 8-year timespan. When previously inactive subjects exercised at a moderate intensity 15 minutes a day — or 90 minutes a week —risk of death from all causes decreased by 14% and life expectancy jumped by 3 years. For every additional 15 minutes a day of physical activity, risk of all-cause death decreased by 4% for both genders across all age groups.

It’s a Start

Any amount of exercise is better than no exercise at all, so getting 15 minutes a day is a great start; and if you don’t have time for a full 30-minute workout, squeezing in 15 minutes is worthwhile — but it’s not a miracle cure. Building up to at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-to-vigorous cardiovascular exercise — like walking, swimming, or bicycling — offers far more than a slightly longer life span.

Increased energy and endurance, stronger muscles and bones, improved physical function, and better brain health are just a few of the benefits of getting the recommended amount of cardiovascular exercise each week. These fitness payoffs can dramatically increase your level of well-being and quality of life.

Fitting in 15 – or More

Fifteen minutes of exercise isn’t much. Here are a few ideas for making it happen:

  • Replace your coffee break with a walking break.
  • Ride the bus or catch the train. Users of public transit are much more likely to get the recommended amount of weekly physical activity.
  • Ride your bike to work or walk — at least part of the way.
  • Turn off the TV, power down the electronics, head outside, and bust a move.
  • Make an after-dinner walk or active backyard play a fun family habit.
  • Be social and active — meet friends for a hike, dancing, or basketball.

Towards a Long and Vibrant Life

You won’t accidentally stumble upon more time to exercise — you have to create it. Do you spend too much time on things that don’t matter to you? What can you delegate, eliminate, or scale back? Enlist a friend or family member to help you take an objective look at how you spend your days.

The next time you wonder how you could possibly make time for exercise, ask yourself another question — how could you not? There’s a lot of truth in what Abraham Lincoln said:  “And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”

 

Beth Shepard, MS, ACSM-RCEP, ACE-PT, has a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Arizona. Beth is an expert in fitness and health promotion and a certified wellness coach, helping people thrive by adopting sustainable lifestyle changes. She and her family love to hike, bicycle, and try new sports. www.wellcoaches.com/beth.shepard

References

  1. Wen CP; Wai JP; Tsai MK; Yang YC; Cheng TY; Lee MC; Chan HT; Tsao CK; Tsai SP; Wu X, Minimum amount of physical activity for reduced mortality and extended life expectancy: a prospective cohort study. Lancet.  2011; 378(9798):1244-53
  2. Elsevier (2010, June 29). Public transit systems contribute to weight loss and improved health, study finds. Science Daily. Retrieved February 10, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100628203756.htm
  3. La Chapelle U, Frank L, Transit and Health: Mode of Transport, Employer-Sponsored Public Transit Pass Programs, and Physical Activity. Journal of Public Health Policy (2009) 30, S73–S94.doi:10.1057/jphp.2008.52

Could Regular Exercise Help You Sleep Better?

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Do you ever have trouble falling asleep at night — or catch yourself nodding off during the day? If so, you’re in good company. A large  CDC survey found that over 1/3 of U.S. adults get less than 7 hours of sleep each night, and even more fall asleep during the day unintentionally at least once a month. Worse yet, nearly 5% admit to falling asleep while driving.

Here’s some good news for the sleep-deprived:

  • According to a recent study, people who met national guidelines for physical activity (150 minutes/week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes/week of vigorous exercise or a combination of both) reported far better daytime alertness and better sleep quality compared to those who didn’t — plus, they were able to fall asleep faster at bedtime.
  • After adjusting for factors such as weight, health status, and smoking history, the difference in sleep quality between the more active and less active subjects was significant. Those who met national physical activity guidelines were 65% less likely to report daytime sleepiness, 68% less likely to report leg cramps, and 45% less likely to have trouble focusing when fatigued.
  • Another recent study found that 150 minutes/week of aerobic exercise plus resistance training resulted in reduced symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea and better sleep quality in previously inactive overweight and obese subjects — even though no weight loss occurred.

Getting enough good-quality sleep reduces risk of high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and depression, among other health issues. While health professionals have long touted “better sleep” as a benefit of exercise, there’s been a lack of compelling evidence to back it up. But more and more studies are pointing towards a moderate sleep benefit from regular exercise.

I definitely sleep better when I’m sticking with my exercise schedule —whether that’s due to less stress, muscles that are more relaxed, physical fatigue, or an unknown factor doesn’t really matter to me. Better sleep certainly isn’t the only reason why I exercise — and it’s not the chief reason why I drag myself out of bed for early-morning workouts — but it’s a pretty nice perk.

Why not try your own exercise-sleep experiment? For the next month, keep track of time spent in moderate or vigorous exercise each week. Note how well you’re sleeping — and how alert you feel during the day. If you’re not currently meeting the national physical activity guidelines, gradually increase your exercise time and see if it helps you sleep better. Just make sure you’re not heading out for a run or hitting the stair-climber too late in the day — or the energy burst you get from your workout will keep you up way past your bedtime.

If you have persistent sleep issues despite your active lifestyle and good sleep hygiene habits, talk with your doctor. Sleep disorders are very common and often go undiagnosed.

Waking up from a night of refreshing sleep sets the stage for a positive mood and a wonderful day. You already know that exercise is beneficial and makes you feel great; better sleep is one more terrific reason to make it a lifelong habit.

Beth Shepard, MS, ACSM-RCEP, ACE-PT, has a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Arizona. Beth is an expert in fitness and health promotion and a certified wellness coach, helping people thrive by adopting sustainable lifestyle changes. She and her family love to hike, bicycle, and try new sports. www.wellcoaches.com/beth.shepard

Reference

  1. Loprinzi P, Cardinal B, Association between objectively-measured physical activity and sleep, NHANES 2005–2006. Mental Health and Physical Activity Volume 4, Issue 2, December 2011, Pages 65-69 doi:10.1016/j.mhpa.2011.08.001
  2. Kline CE, Crowley EP, Ewing GB, Burch JB, Blair SN, Durstine JL, Davis JM, Youngstedt SD, The effect of exercise training on obstructive sleep apnea and sleep quality: a randomized controlled trial. Sleep. 2011 Dec 1;34(12):1631-40. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22131599

New Year’s Resolution Time Again

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I hear a lot of New Year’s resolutions talk at this time of year. A friend texted me today saying “Munching on cookies at work. Not too long until New Years and vegetables”. A coworker commented that he was determined to “get in shape in 2012”. I overheard a woman in the grocery store checkout line tell a friend that “this is the year I am getting my house de-cluttered”.

This time last year, I let you know that I was saying No to resolutions. And I still am. But after reading some recent positive psychology research, I am going one step further. I am taking the time to reflect on all of the things I have done well during this past year.

Research shows that taking the time to acknowledge your accomplishments and successes can be good for your mental and physical health. So instead of focusing on all of the steps I have yet to take, I am going to focus on all the hard work I have already done.

There’s nothing wrong with planning out some sustainable steps you can take to reach a particular goal. In fact, that’s probably a great thing to do at any time of the year. But, as New Year’s resolutions typically peter out by February, I am spending time on remembering the accomplishments instead. My guess is that focusing on those will give me some much needed momentum to keep making changes.

The other fascinating research I have been reading shows that when you reflect others’ strengths and achievements back to them, your own level of happiness increases.

So that’s the New year’s plan in our family. We are going to share a few observations about each family member as well as about ourselves. So I may share with my husband that he has done a phenomenal job of settling into his new work position. He has really improved his work-life balance and I am excited to see that he is back on his bike on a more regular basis. He does not need to comment – and he can add any reflections on his own progress during the past year.

Whew. I feel relieved just thinking about our New Year’s plan. We’ll celebrate our accomplishments with some sparkling apple cider and cookies and move into 2012 focused on the positive. May it be a great year for each of you!

Exercise Intensity Matters

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Some of my favorite activities are the ones that challenge  me the most — vigorous bicycling, running, swimming, or hiking. There’s just something about working up a serious sweat that leaves me energized and ready to seize the day.

I don’t work out that hard every time — but I make a point of exercising vigorously several times a week. Why? I like how it makes me feel — and because exciting research over the last several years has shown that vigorous exercise offers additional protective health benefits that are worth my extra effort.

Walking at a moderate pace is touted as one of the best ways to meet the minimum physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes/week. I wholeheartedly agree — it’s easy, inexpensive, and fun. But after you reach this minimum level of fitness, consider pushing yourself harder a few times a week — for fitness-enhancing, life-saving results.

High-Intensity Benefits

Some of the longer-term benefits of regular vigorous vs. moderate exercise include:

  • Better heart health.
    Vigorous exercise has a greater protective effect on heart health and appears to be more effective in improving risk factors for heart disease compared to moderate exercise.
  • Reduced risk of chronic disease.
    People who exercise vigorously have higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness — which, in turn, is associated with decreased risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.
  • Decreased cancer risk.
    A 17-year study of 2500 middle-aged Finnish men found the men who were most physically active were the least likely to develop cancer, especially lung or gastrointestinal cancer. And that was after controlling for factors such as age, dietary fat and fiber, and cigarette smoking. The subjects’ activities ranged from low intensity (such as fishing) to vigorous (like jogging). The men who jogged or performed exercise of a similar intensity at least 30 minutes a day had the least cancer risk — a 50% reduction.

Is My Workout Moderate or Vigorous?

With moderate exercise, you can talk comfortably while you do it, but you can’t whistle or sing. With vigorous exercise, talking is uncomfortable — you may be able to say only a few words without stopping to catch your breath.

A Healthy Mix

I’m not going to tell you to stop gardening, golfing, or going for a leisurely stroll if these are activities you enjoy.  But to realize some of the most compelling health benefits of regular exercise, make sure you also devote time and effort regularly to more vigorous activities (brisk walking, stair climbing, hiking, jogging, biking, and swimming) that get your pulse moving and make you sweat — as long as your doctor says it’s safe for you.

If you love to walk, boosting intensity can be as simple as including a few hills or stairs in your walking route, swinging your arms vigorously, using Nordic walking poles, or break into a jog periodically along the way.

Vigorous exercise takes more effort, but it’s a terrific use of your time and energy. Make it a habit, and the payoffs will make you feel like you’re scoring a huge fitness bargain.

 

Beth Shepard, MS, ACSM-RCEP, ACE-PT, has a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Arizona. Beth is an expert in fitness and health promotion and a certified wellness coach, helping people thrive by adopting sustainable lifestyle changes. She and her family love to hike, bicycle, and try new sports. www.wellcoaches.com/beth.shepard

 

References

  1. Swain, D.P. and Franklin, B.A. (2006). Comparison of cardioprotective benefits of vigorous versus moderate intensity aerobic exercise. American Journal of
    Cardiology, 97: 141-147.
  2. Williams P, Vigorous Exercise, Fitness and Incident Hypertension, High Cholesterol, and Diabetes, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise: June 2008 – Volume
    40 – Issue 6 – pp 998-1006 doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e31816722a9
  3. Laukkanen J, et. al. Intensity of leisure-time physical activity and cancer mortality in men, Br J Sports Med doi:10.1136/bjsm.2008.056713

This Holiday, Got Gratitude?

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This time of year tends to bring out what our family calls the “I wants.”  That’s the feeling one has when one walks into a store (online or in a mall) and starts to feel like they want everything in sight.  Whether it’s the newest video game, a Princess doll or a little black dress, the feeling is the same.  And it’s not a feeling we like to encourage.

 

We have been significantly helped this year by our son’s first grade teacher whose project for the kids is to “write letters that make other people feel amazing.”  She has brainstormed with them many ways to express thanks, sincerely compliment others and contemplate the positive impact they have on your life.  So, instead of writing Hanukah wish-lists, our son (and now the rest of us) are writing gratitude letters instead.

 

There is plenty of research that points to the benefits of an “attitude of gratitude.”

  • Gratitude has been linked to better health, more restful sleep, falling asleep more quickly, less anxiety and depression, higher long-term satisfaction with life and kinder behavior towards others.

A recent study even showed that feeling grateful makes people less likely to become aggressive when provoked.

 

So how does one cultivate gratefulness?  For some people, gratitude tends to come more naturally while for others it can be a real struggle to focus on gratefulness.

 

Here are some practical tips to get you started:

1.  Take a few minutes at the end of each day to write in a journal five things for which you are grateful for that day. There is research out of the University of Miami which shows that doing this gratitude practice even once a week can have significant benefits.  After 2 months of keeping the brief journal weekly, participants felt optimistic and happier. They also reported fewer physical problems and were spending more time exercising.

 

2.  There is research that shows that praying increases gratitude.  So, if you feel comfortable praying, you may want to consider including implementing this activity in your life on a regular basis.

 

3.  Martin Seligman of the University of Pennsylvania recommends a gratitude visit.  He recommends that you write a 300 word letter to a person who has changed your life for the better and then deliver it in person and read it slowly to him or her.  His research shows that people tend to experience a happier mood for a month after the gratitude visit.  Our son’s first grade teacher must be reading the gratitude research!

 

4.  Share your gratefulness with others.  An “attitude of gratitude” can be contagious.  It is a healthy feeling to be spreading about.

 

5.  When you are focused on the things you don’t have (from a screen TV to a higher paying job), try to write down a list of a number of things you do have (like good health, heating in your comfortable home, a pantry full of food).  Research has shown that gratitude can help to decrease unhelpful thoughts – just another way that it may increase happiness and satisfaction.

 

Join me in focusing on gratitude during this holiday season – on replacing the “I wants” with the “I’m so lucky that I have.”  Here’s to healthy and happy holidays for all!

References:

http://personalpages.manchester.ac.uk/staff/alex.wood/gratitudereview.pdf

http://generallythinking.com/research/mccullough-m-e-kimeldorf-m-b-cohen-a-d-2008-an-adaptation-for-altruism-the-social-causes-social-effects-and-social-evolution-of-gratitude/

http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/mmccullough/Gratitude_Page.htm

http://www.socialemotions.org/page5/files/Bartlett.DeSteno.2006.pdf

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16045394

The Power of Strength Training

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Is there something you’d like to accomplish, somewhere you’d like to travel, or activities you’d enjoy… if only you had the physical strength? Take heart — and take action. It’s never too late to get stronger —anyone can do it, at any age.

 

Men and women of all ages and fitness levels are getting stronger each week by lifting weights at a gym, doing strength exercises at home, or participating in a structured muscle-strengthening class.

 

Here’s the deal — as we get older, we lose muscle mass and strength at a rate of 4-6 pounds per decade. That is, unless we keep our muscles strong and healthy with strength training (also called resistance or weight training). Aerobic exercise has many benefits, but strength training challenges the muscles in very specific ways to help prevent muscle loss.

 

Losing strength can be very sneaky —you don’t realize how much you’ve lost until you try to get up off the floor or lift a big bag of dog food. I was shocked at how much strength I lost after having health issues several years ago, and didn’t strength-train for about 2 years. The last straw was when I found a 10-lb. dumbbell in my closet, went to move it, and felt as though my arm would fall right out of my shoulder socket. I was horrified – instead of 10 lbs., it felt like 40 or 50 lbs.

 

A year and a half later, I’m a new woman. Lifting weights not only improved my physical strength, but made me a stronger, more confident person. I feel like I can do anything. I have less low back pain, and more energy. The bonus has been the stress-reducing effects; lifting weights helps me blow off steam.

 

Should you add strength training to your exercise routine? Yes, as long as your health care provider agrees. Strength training:

  • Preserves and increases metabolic rate – so you’ll burn more calories even when you’re sitting still.
  • Boosts muscular strength, helping preserve independence and mobility with age.
  • Improves body composition and bone mineral density.
  • Is at least as effective as aerobic exercise in improving heart disease risk factors such as blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides.
  • Helps prevent falls by improving balance and coordination.
  • Elevates mood, reducing symptoms of depression.
  • Improves athletic performance.
  • And so much more….

 

I’ve witnessed these strength training benefits in countless patients and clients — many of whom are frail, elderly, and/or coping with multiple chronic conditions. But even my younger, healthier clients experience big payoffs with a commitment to regular strength training.

 

My mom surprised me a few months ago when she began strength training for the first time in her life — at age 70. She’s never been physically active, but she’s already stronger and can do more with less effort. That’s a huge gift she’s giving herself – and her loved ones. Now she can pick up her young grandchildren, and travel to be with us on special occasions — things that were difficult or impossible before.

 

Ready to improve the quality of your life, and do things you never thought possible? Go ahead — get started with strength training, and wonderful things are sure to follow.

 

Beth Shepard, MS, ACSM-RCEP, ACE-PT, has a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Arizona. Beth is an expert in fitness and health promotion and a certified wellness coach, helping people thrive by adopting sustainable lifestyle changes. She and her family love to hike, bicycle, and try new sports. www.wellcoaches.com/beth.shepard

 

References

  1. Westcott W, ACSM Strength Training Guidelines: Role in Body Composition and Health Enhancement. ACSM’s Health and Fitness Journal, Vol.13 No. 4, 2009
  2. Strasser B, Schobersberger W, Evidence for Resistance Training as a Treatment Therapy in Obesity, J Obes. 2011; 2011: 482564.
  3. Baechle, T, Earle, R, Editors, Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning,  3rd Edition, National Strength and Conditioning Association, Human Kinetics, 2008
  4. McLafferty CL, et al. Resistance Training is Associated with Improved Mood in Healthy Older Adults. Perceptual and Motor Skills: Volume 98, Issue 3 (June 2004), pp. 947-957.
  5. Levinger I, Selig S, Goodman C, Jerums G, Stewart A, Hare DL. Resistance training improves depressive symptoms in individuals at high risk for type 2 diabetes. J Strength Cond Res. 2011 Aug;25(8):2328-33.
  6. ACSM’s Resource Manual for Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 6th edition, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2010

The Cutting Edge of Obesity Research

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The subject of obesity has been in the news a lot lately. Last month, I attended The Obesity Society (TOS) Annual Meeting in Orlando and it was a fascinating experience. Thousands of researchers and healthcare professionals from all over the world came together to learn what we can be doing to prevent and treat obesity.

I thought it would be fun to share a few highlights which really resonated with me. For full details on the presentations and the TOS mission, go to www.obesity.org.

 

Kids and Adolescents

I attended a few excellent sessions about kids and adolescents. Did you know that one in three children in the US is already carrying excess weight as they enter kindergarten? Kids’ dietary patterns are well established by age two so the earlier the better when it comes to introducing and modeling healthy food patterns. Parents – eat those fruit and veggies and keep the junk to a minimum.

There is some interesting research on kids and corner stores. When corner stores are near schools, kids do a lot of impulse buying of snacks. And the average impulse snack purchase made by kids amounts to 350 calories…that’s a kid sized meal!

I also enjoyed learning about the research that shows that promoting body dissatisfaction in overweight or obese adolescent girls just leads to weight gain and a higher risk of eating disorders. Making girls (or anyone) feel bad about their bodies is not an effective weight control strategy.

 

Women’s Health

A talk on energy expenditure and menopause prompted groans from the middle aged women in the audience. The take home message is that perimenopausal women who want to prevent weight gain will, on average, need to eat 100-200 calories less a day than what they are used to eating, and will need to exercise more. The average perimenopausal woman will have a waist increase of 6% but that increase will then plateau when menopause is reached. However, the presenter mentioned that we do get smarter as we get older, and enlightenment is far more important than waist size!

There was a presentation on why the term “ideal weight” is outdated. The proposal is to use the term “best weight” – which means a weight you can actually achieve and maintain while enjoying a healthy lifestyle. Those researchers have got my vote on that one!

 

Physical Activity Over the Years

Researchers are looking at level of physical activity in countries around the world – physical activity has decreased and TV time has increased over time in all countries. We are sitting more and moving less. Another interesting physical activity statistic is that in 1969, half of kids in the US walked or biked to school. Currently, that number is at 14%.

 

Dietary Trends

As a nation, Americans are drinking less milk but are drinking more sweetened milk (e.g. chocolate milk). Also, when we look at the nutrient composition of school lunches, the sugar and saturated fat is the same as in fast food restaurants.

There were also presentations on how challenging it is to maintain weight loss. Particularly after you lose 10% of your body weight, the body fights very hard to regain the weight. People want food more, they become very responsive to food (i.e. lots of cravings), and their level of restraint decreases. This is not psychological – it is physiological. Our appetites go up and our metabolic rates go down as our bodies try to regain the lost weight.

There was so much more of interest but let’s me sum up by saying that our biology and our environment makes weight loss difficult and there is no magic pill to treat overweight and obesity. Sustainable changes along with moderate weight loss that can be maintained is really the goal.

The First Annual Food Day

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It’s Food Day today. You can officially say that you were around for the very first Food Day. I figured you might have some questions about this new concept so here’s the lowdown.

What might you ask is “Food Day”?

It is a nationwide campaign sponsored by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), which is a nonprofit group that has led successful campaigns for food labeling, better nutrition, and safer food. Like CSPI, Food Day does not accept funding from government or corporations.

Okay good. But what is the point of Food Day?

I went to www.foodday.org and loved the mission statement that I found there.

Food Day’s goal is nothing less than to transform the American diet—to inspire a broad movement involving people from every corner of our land who want healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way. In other words, we want America to eat real. We want to get Americans cooking real food for their families again. We want fewer people at drive-throughs and bigger crowds at farmers markets. We want to celebrate fresh fruits, vegetables, and healthy whole grains—and to support the local farms and farmers that produce them. We want all Americans—regardless of their age or income or geographic location—to be able to select healthy diets and avoid obesity, heart disease, and other diet-related conditions.

So can you tell me what the driving principles are?

Food Day 2011 has five key priorities:

  1. Promote healthier foods so fewer people get diet related diseases
  2. Support sustainable farms and stop subsidizing agribusiness
  3. Expand access to food so people aren’t hungry
  4. Reform factory farms to protect animals and the environment
  5. Curb junk-food marketing to kids

I like it. But what does it have to do with me?

People who care about our food supply are coming together throughout the country at Food Day events. People like author Michael Pollan to chef Dan Barber to academics like Kelly Brownell to me are attending or creating Food Day events. It’s a real grassroots initiative.

I just heard about this today. How can I participate?

There are lots of options:

  • Go to Foodday.org, click on your location on the map and see what Food Day events are happening.
  • Cook a healthy, whole foods dinner with your family and talk about any concerns you have about food supply issues. Foodday.org has plenty of resources to get you thinking.
  • Host a spontaneous potluck with some friends and neighbors and eat some healthy food together.
  • Donate some nutritious food items to your local food bank.
  • Visit your local farmers market.
  • Share a yummy healthy recipe with a friend.
  • Take 5 minutes to think about how you can incorporate some local, sustainable food choices into your diet.

Our family is going to cook a hearty soup for dinner and we’re going to chat about where the ingredients came from and the people who made our dinner possible.

Let me know what you do for Food Day. And have a great one!

Sit Less and Thrive

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Some days, I look forward to finishing work, putting my feet up, and relaxing with a cup of hot tea and a good book. There’s nothing wrong with that picture — except that for most of the day, I’m seated, in front of a computer. More sitting is the last thing I need.

 

Danger — Too Much Sitting

 

It turns out that too much sitting has been linked with serious health risks:

  • An analysis of 8 studies found that risk of Type 2 diabetes increased by 20% and risk of CHD increased by 15% with every 2 hours of TV watching.
  • In a large, 12-year prospective study, researchers found a strong link between daily sitting time and death from all causes, including cardiovascular disease — and that’s after adjusting for factors such as age, sex, smoking status, alcohol intake, and physical activity.

 

    • The startling conclusion: Regular physical activity doesn’t cancel out the negative effects of too much sitting.

 

  • Men who reported spending more than 10 hours a week riding in cars showed an 82% greater risk of dying compared with men who rode in cars less than 4 hours a week.

 

Inactivity physiology is a relatively new area of study, but we’re quickly learning just how harmful too much sitting can be. The good news is that one study has found a positive link between taking active breaks during extended sitting periods and metabolic biomarkers such as waist circumference, body mass index, triglycerides, and blood glucose.

 

Active Solutions

 

I’m frustrated by the fact that even if I exercise pretty hard, 5-6 days a week, I still need to pay attention to how much I sit. But the research is compelling — for optimal health and longevity, we need to 1) exercise regularly, and 2) sit less; it’s not one or the other. And, honestly, the less I sit, the better I feel.

 

Here are a few ways I’m sitting less these days:

  1. Break up desk time. I get up frequently to refill my water or tea, and stand up and pace when I’m on a phone call. I’m a telecommuter, but this can still work at a traditional workplace.
  2. Relax actively. A 30-minute walk is wonderfully relaxing for me. I also play with my dogs, or play catch with my kids.
  3. Break up screen time. When we watch a movie, activity breaks are a must – walking around the house, a few jumping jacks, or stretching. We’ll also watch half of a movie one night and half another night. It all helps to break up sitting time.

 

There’s some sitting we all have to do — so it’s important to cut back wherever we can. Keep exercising, but also keep a sitting log this week — find out how much you’re sitting each day, and then aim to cut back by 10-20%. Your life could very well depend on it.

 

Beth Shepard, MS, ACSM-RCEP, ACE-PT, has a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Arizona. Beth is an expert in fitness and health promotion and a certified wellness coach, helping people thrive by adopting sustainable lifestyle changes. She and her family love to hike, bicycle, and try new sports. www.wellcoaches.com/beth.shepard

References

  1. Grøntved A, Hu FB. Television viewing and risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality: a meta-analysis. JAMA. 2011 Jun 15;305(23):2448-55. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21673296
  2. Katzmarzyk et al., Sitting time and mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009 May;41(5):998-1005. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19346988
  3. Warren TY, et al., Sedentary behaviors increase risk of cardiovascular disease mortality in men. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2010;42(5)879-85  http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2010/05000/Sedentary_Behaviors_Increase_Risk_of.6.aspx
  4. Healy GN, et al., Breaks in sedentary time: Beneficial associations with metabolic risk. Diabetes Care. 2008;31(4):661-6 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18252901

The Source of Happiness?

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Did you know that 50% of our happiness is determined by our genetic make up, 10% is determined by our life circumstances and the other 40% is a result of our social networks?

 

That piece of info came from one of my favorite websites, http://greatergood.berkeley.edu. This is Christine Carter PhD’s website and she is in her own words “a sociologist and happiness expert at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center”. Her blog combines science, happiness and parenting and is a fascinating resource for parents and non parents alike.

 

When she talked about the body of research that shows how much of our happiness is determined by our social networks, my initial response was “No way”. But I read more and ended up being convinced. Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler, wrote a really interesting book Connected: How your friends’ friends’ friends affect everything you feel, think, and do. Their premise is that the people we are around influence what we think of as normal, and that, in turn, influences our habits, feelings, and behavior.

 

There is good research in the clinical nutrition literature to suggest that we eat in similar ways to the people we hang out with most. If you grow up around fast eaters, you will tend to eat more quickly yourself. If you have friends who eat copious amounts of dessert, you will probably indulge more too. And if you have friends who make walking dates, you will tend to walk more often.

 

And the same seems to apply to our emotions. What really blew me away is the extent to which our emotions can influence not only our immediate friends, but their friends too. There is a ripple effect which can reach further than we expect.

 

The research on happiness also suggests that happiness is a set of skills that can be practiced. Gratefulness can increase happiness so a daily gratitude practice can be a great thing to try. This does not by any stretch mean that we need always be happy.

 

Key Point: If we can practice skills like being present in the moment, appreciating what we have, and taking time to connect with others, we may just find ourselves – and our friends – happier overall.

 

This research helped me recently deal with a negative, grumpy co worker. My knee jerk reaction is to be curt back to her or mentally roll my eyes every time I see her. This week, I focused on sharing some happiness (a funny story about one of my kids, letting her know how much I enjoyed a particular meeting) and she actually smiled. It’s so easy for me to get dragged down by others’ negativity but not if I am focusing on my own happiness.

 

I would love to hear your thoughts about these ideas. And also how you practice your happiness habits…do you get enough sleep, exercise regularly, take time to laugh, hug loved ones. What makes you cheerful so you then get to spread that happiness around?