Fitness is not only about “looks” or aesthetics. It is about movement and functionality; the ability to move all parts of our body in order to do the things we need and want to do. As simple as this sounds, today’s world, according to the World Health Organisation, finds that 23% of adults and 81% of adolescents (aged 11–17 years) are physically inactive, or in other words, living a sedentary lifestyle.1 Some examples of low energy expenditure found in a sedentary lifestyle is sitting or lying, while using their mobile phone or computer, working at their desk, reading, commuting, watching television and playing computer consoles games.
In comparison with our ancestors who spent their days actively walking, running or rowing many miles per day; hunting and fishing; gathering and preparing food; playing sports or holding athletic competitions; taking care of children; building homes; and the list goes on! While in indigenous cultures, for the most of history, movement was so heavily integrated into daily life that our ancestors did not need a gym or special space for “fitness,” and there was no need to set aside extra time for fitness training.
However, the world today is different. The modern lifestyle often has people stuck behind a desk, or sitting on a couch, or in a car for most of the day. This results in our need to allocate extra time to fitness training to prevent becoming sick with chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, weight gain and obesity, and it has also been linked with some types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer. Individuals who lead a sedentary lifestyle also appear to be at higher risk of developing a mental health disorder.2
If you want to reactivate your lifestyle and embark on a commitment to training, share your thoughts in the comments below. What sedentary activity are you guilty about? Give this video a thumbs up if you want to learn more about what you can do today to stand on your feet to get fit. I will be sharing more content so be sure to follow and subscribe to BaBeBoBs Consultancy.
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References:
- World Health Organization 2020, Physical Activity, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, viewed on 10 May 2020, <https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity#:~:text=Globally%2C%2081%25%20of%20adolescents%20aged,insufficiently%20physically%20active%20in%202016>.
- Allianz Care 2020, Sedentarism, why is it bad for you?, Allianz Care, Munich, Germany, viewed 10 May 2020, <https://www.allianzcare.com/en/about-us/blog/2020/01/sedentary-life.html>.
Raine Baljak 