You might have heard that sitting all day \u201cis the new smoking\u201d.<\/p>\n
This, the American Journal of Public Health says<\/a>, is an unfair comparison; they \u201care not comparable,\u201d and the \u201cmisleading\u201d line \u201cmay serve to distort and trivialise the ongoing and serious risks of smoking\u201d. <\/p>\n This is not, however, to say that staying inactive is good for us. A sedentary lifestyle, including lots of sitting, is linked to<\/a> type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and even early death.<\/p>\n So when Joanna Dase, a global fitness expert at Curves<\/a>, shared how she\u2019d reccomend undoing the damage from not moving much in the day, we listened. <\/p>\n 1) Stretch your hip flexors <\/p>\n Get knee and ankle aches? The issue may actually come from weak or misaligned hips<\/a>, which can be worsened by sitting all day. <\/p>\n \u201cTo avoid this, incorporate gentle hip stretches into your routine, such as standing lunges or pigeon pose, to counteract stiffness,\u201d Dase said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can modify these exercises as needed, but aim to hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds on each side and repeat every 2-3 hours to consistently loosen any tight muscles.\u201d <\/p>\n 2) Build some strength training into your routine<\/p>\n Building muscle is a great way to protect<\/a> yourself from age-related muscle loss, and, per Dase, it may be especially useful for those who sit a lot. <\/p>\n \u201cSedentary behaviour can cause muscles to weaken over time because they aren\u2019t being used or challenged,\u201d she advised. <\/p>\n \u201cThis doesn\u2019t mean you need to be at the gym every day of the week. In reality, a 30-minute fitness programme<\/a> that combines strength training, cardio and stretching can help rebuild muscle endurance, improve circulation, and release tension in tight muscles.\u201d <\/p>\n Two to three times a week can go a long way, she added. <\/p>\n 3) Take movement breaks<\/p>\n