3 Tips to Help You Avoid This Bad Habit Between Thanksgiving and New Years
After accounting for travel, socializing in the living room with family, eating, and cold weather keeping us inside, many of us find ourselves sitting a lot during the holidays.
A study found that just one hour of sitting increased the rate of metabolic syndrome by 26%.
Metabolic syndrome is basically a group of risk factors that raises your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
If you already have at least three of these risk factors, you qualify as having metabolic syndrome:
1) A large waistline,
2) A high triglyceride level,
3) A low HDL cholesterol level,
4) High blood pressure, and
5) High fasting blood sugar.
So what can you do to avoid too much sitting?
To help you out, I want to offer you a few tips that I find helpful when I travel.
Tip #1: Make a commitment
Whether you are going to be sitting in a car, train, or flying in a plane, plan on getting up and moving by making a commitment before embarking on your trip.
For example, “On my three hour flight, I will find three times to stand.”
Another example could be, “On my road trip to visit family, I will stop the car to stand up and stretch every 100 miles.”
Tip #2: Don’t sit when you don’t have to
For example, when you’ve arrived early at your gate to board your plane, don’t sit.
Instead, take a walk and browse around the gift shops or get out of your comfort zone and do a few exercises or stretches at your gate — heck, it might inspire others to join you!
Tip #3: Be mindful
Finally, just because there’s a seat available, doesn’t mean you should use it.
The only way to avoid the temptation of sitting when you notice an available seat is by being aware of it.
When you see an empty chair, before plopping yourself down on it, ask yourself if it’s absolutely necessary that you use it.
If not, then don’t.
Again, it will come down to noticing an available chair and then being mindful of your choice.
I hope my three tips are helpful to you as you travel and enjoy all there is to enjoy during this holiday season.
If nothing else, choose just one of my tips based on your own situation to help you stay on your feet as much as possible.
Happy Holidays!
Any suggestions for those of us who have to sit because of injury? I’m terrified of losing ground with all my weight loss success over the years during my 6 weeks of non weight bearing. I’m eating very healthy (so I may heal) but also trying to limit quantities because all I do is sit. I am starting to wheel myself more in my chair when out, hoping to get a little upper body movement. But do you have ideas for the rest of me?
Hi Heidi, first of all, BRAVO to the fact that you’re eating very healthy so that you can heal faster and I know that that may be an especially hard task due to the holidays, so I commend you for your commitment to your health. Secondly, I like the fact that you are asking about how you can stay physical (or at least not sit so much) during the next six weeks. Wheeling yourself more in your chair is a great. I’d also suggest pressing yourself up (sort of like single-leg squats) and down from your chair using your good leg and your arms to help you stand. Also, find exercises you can do on the floor that are not weight bearing on that ankle. Push-ups on your knees, crunches on your back with your legs propped up on a chair, even going to the gym (if one is available) and doing upper body exercises while sitting in your chair (there are tons of things you can do with a cable machine) are all options. Also, just balancing on that good leg is not a bad idea either. More than anything, focus on healing quickly by eating and sleeping well. That way you can get back to your normal routine ASAP. Hope that helps a bit 🙂
I started reading your post and I stood up! LOL Your tips are fabulous. We all need a reminder. May I make two more suggestions? When out holiday shopping park very far away and walk. You won’t hassle with other drivers and you will get a little exercise. My other rule – always take the stairs if your climb isn’t too far!
Thanks, Suzanne! And your tips are right on! It amazes me to see how many people take the most convenient way to do anything. Convenience is great for some things, but when it comes to movement, we benefit most from inconvenience!
I’m so much more conscious of standing – or NOT sitting – ever since that study came out. Now, I don’t mind if I can’t get a seat somewhere. It’s better for my health if I stand, and I really don’t mind it as much as I used to!
That’s great! Thanks for sharing, Sheryl 🙂