Are you sitting down reading this? Stand up! Scientists have found that sitting shuts off the circulation of a fat-absorbing enzyme called lipase, leading to obesity, heart disease and other health problems. So parking your back end is like parking your body’s fat-burning machine.When lipase distribution is turned off by sitting, fat re-circulates in the bloodstream and is stored as body fat or goes on to clog arteries and cause other health problems. Studies are showing that rates of heart disease, diabetes and obesity are doubled or even tripled in people who sit a lot.
But by simply standing up, you engage muscles and promote lipase distribution, which kick starts the body to process fat and cholesterol. Standing up also uses blood glucose and may discourage the development of diabetes. In addition, standing improves your HDL, or good cholesterol, levels and burns an extra 60 calories an hour.
Don’t take this threat to your health sitting down. Avoid the chair! Choose standing over sitting whenever you can. Here are some ideas:
- • Rather than sitting down to talk on the phone, stand up and look out the window, wipe the counter, or pace the floor.
- • When you’re watching TV, you can still be productive. Stand up to fold clothes, dust the entertainment center, straighten up the room or simply stand in front of the TV (as long as you’re not blocking anyone’s view!).
- • At children’s sporting events, leave the folding chair in your car and stand to watch the game instead. You’ll probably see more of the action that way!
- • If you have a desk job, take frequent breaks to stand and walk around. Do your filing, note making, organizing and phone calls standing up at your desk rather than tethered to a chair.