Holy Sit!

I was lying on my back, stretching it and working out the kinks on the foam roller after several hours of working at my computer. As I groan in pleasure and pain simultaneously on the living room floor hubby says, "You know, sitting is the new smoking."

Say what?

I guess it is. I looked it up.

While my January has been so busy – mostly in a chair somewhere – I haven't really kept up on any news, including the story about our sedentary lives leading to earlier deaths.

Researchers have linked the long-term effects of sitting for many hours at a time with Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Even though our lives may seem fast-paced. We are kind of slowing our bodies down. We may spend 8 hours in our office chair then sit in the car for our commute home then binge-watch on Netflix from our couch or recliner. Or spend hours at the computer working on freelance assignments or messing with photos.

We are suffering from "occupational sitting" and it definitely shows on my Fitbit, where I register only a few thousand steps on those busy (sitting) days. There's a reason my wrist buzzes at least once an hour, encouraging me to get up and get some steps. I need to start listening to it. The Fitbit is far wiser than me.

I have been trying to get regular walk breaks in at work so I can reach my goal of 10,000 steps a day. But days like today when I'm super busy, I didn't even have 1,000 steps by lunch. Ouch. So I made sure I went to kickboxing tonight between sitting at work and sitting at choir. Ha. Got some steps anyway and it did feel good to move.

Even if "sitting it the new smoking," I doubt I'll have the urge to light one up. Though I wish someone would light a fire under me to get me moving!

One step at time, right? Sit less. Move more.

And, I guess, live longer. Yay.