Sedentary lifestyle is considered one of the evils of the century, which occurs due to a series of factors that provide the absence of physical activity during our daily lives.
According to a study released in 2018 by the World Health Organization, 47% of people in adulthood in Brazil admitted that they do not practice physical activities or practice for insufficient time.
Due to this worrying fact, Hickey solution brings, in this text, simple tips and attitudes, which are able to contribute to you to abandon sedentarism and increase your quality of life.
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Attitudes to avoid a sedentary lifestyle
Although it may seem difficult to have attitudes that avoid sedentary lifestyle, in reality, it is something simple, if done respecting the style and standard of living of each person.
The first step in including activities once and for all in your routine is to choose an activity that is both pleasurable and fun, as it is possible to guarantee its continuity.
Testing various activities, such as sports, gym classes, dancing and running, for example, are ways to discover the one that is most appropriate – remembering that to create the habit, exercise cannot be a choice that causes discouragement or difficulty in doing it. it.
It is very important to count on the professional help of physical educators, but that does not mean that you can only do activities in gyms. This is because any physical movement can bring benefits.
The important thing is to make a prior physical assessment and receive instructions – even for those walks on the street.
Thus, leaving the car aside, cycling on a daily basis, climbing stairs, running with the children, walking the dog are some activities that help in abandoning a sedentary lifestyle.
Is it possible to avoid a sedentary lifestyle without going to the gym?
Certainly! There are a number of activities and practices that you can add to your routine and that can be done without having to go to a gym.
Many people do not feel comfortable or cannot afford to go to a gym, so it is possible to exercise at home or outdoors.
It is recommended that, when choosing a physical activity , it is necessary to assess whether it will be pleasurable and in accordance with the routine. For, to abandon or avoid a sedentary lifestyle, you need to exercise every day.
For that, some practices that can be adopted are:
Climbing stairs
People who live or frequent places that have stairs can adopt the habit of climbing them, instead of using the elevators.
When starting, it is common to have more difficulty due to tiredness and shortness of breath that occurs quickly.
But it is important to remember that this is normal, since the body is not used to it, so try to start gradually, with 1 or 2 floors, and gradually increase.
The act of climbing the stairs on a daily basis can contribute to toning the lower limbs, improving the performance of the respiratory and cardiovascular system, in addition to increasing caloric expenditure.
Walking or cycling
Day-to-day chores, in general, require displacement. In this way, we can transform these moments into opportunities to exercise.
You can start by going to places that are close to you, such as supermarket, bakery, park, school etc. And over time, increase the path.
Adopting this habit routinely, in addition to increasing your disposition and reducing your stress , also improves blood circulation and respiratory functions.
To dance
Dance has the ability to burn calories, assist in motor coordination and strengthen muscles, in addition to promoting benefits for cognitive health, due to necessary stimuli, such as attention, memory and quick thinking
This can be a fun and enjoyable way to move your body, maintain the right weight and get all the benefits of activities – without having to invest in the gym. In fact, it can even be done at home or in a group. And there are options in doubles or singles.
It is estimated that 30 minutes for at least 3 times a week, dancing to fast rhythms such as forró, samba, axé, for example, causes the heart to pump more blood throughout the body, generating more energy and disposition.
Play sports
Sports can be an option for those who enjoy more competitive activities.
There are several options to do it alone, such as swimming, gymnastics, tennis, martial arts, or to perform in groups, such as football, volleyball or basketball.
In addition to improving physical fitness and helping to maintain the ideal weight, playing sports helps to reduce stress, increases self-confidence and concentration.
Labor gymnastics
Some companies and organizations offer the possibility for employees to do a few minutes of gymnastics at work. It helps to relieve pain that can occur due to sitting for a long time or making repetitive movements.
If you work in an environment that offers workplace gymnastics, take the opportunity and always perform the proposed exercises.
Because in addition to reducing fatigue and stress that occurs during work, it also helps to prevent sedentary lifestyle.
What are the health impacts of physical inactivity?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a sedentary lifestyle is considered the fourth largest risk factor for death in the world.
The sedentary lifestyle can cause several health problems, among the most common complications are:
- Obesity : with overweight, our metabolism slows down and begins to have difficulties in processing fats and sugars, which contributes to the development of diseases such as cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension;
- Sleep disorders: the increase in body fat also interferes in the nights of rest, as it accumulates in the chest and throat, causing the obstruction of the respiratory airways (sleep apnea);
- Cardiovascular diseases: not exercising can impair blood circulation, helping to increase the chances of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack and stroke;
- Difficulties in locomotion: due to the absence of movements that strengthen the skeletal and muscular system, the bones become more fragile and the muscles atrophy, which causes difficulties in getting around and performing daily activities;
- Early aging: being sedentary not only contributes to aging inappropriately, reducing the quality of life, but it can also accelerate this natural process of life;
- Mental health: the lack of exercise does not cause the release of important neurotransmitters in the fight against depression and anxiety, such as dopamine and serotonin.
How much exercise do I need to do per day?
The World Health Organization recommends that exercises and practice time be done according to the age group of each person.
- Children and adolescents: must have recreational activities and games for at least 60 minutes in the school environment and with the family daily;
- Adults (18 to 64 years old): must add 150 minutes of exercise per week, through moderate activities such as cycling and walking, or 75 minutes of intense practices such as running and sports;
- Elderly (from 65 years old): only mild and moderate activities are indicated, which can be done in groups 3 times a week for the same time as the previous age group.
We emphasize that the practice must be something constant that evolves little by little, therefore, one must avoid making the mistake of practicing intense exercises at the beginning.
Because the body demands time to adapt to new habits, thus, practicing very heavy exercises and for a long time can be harmful.
To avoid problems, making an appointment with professionals is very important, they will assess the conditioning and clinical status to establish the most appropriate physical exercises for you.
We can see that adopting the practice of physical activities not only allows you to leave the sedentary behind, but also makes you healthy and willing to spend more time doing what you love, with the people you love.
How about adding new habits to your diet as well ? In Healthy Minute, you will find several ideas to make your routine even healthier.
