Sep 17, 2022

5 SIMPLE EXERCISES TO BREAK YOUR SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

If you have a desk job, it means you have a sedentary lifestyle, and it is devoid of any physical activity. Prolonged sitting in a place gives rise to health issues like diabetes and heart problems. Sitting for long is very harmful to the body and can also give rise to problems in the neck, shoulders, joints and lower back.

Thus, we must incorporate physical fitness into our routine to combat sedentary lifestyles.

Easy exercises for a sedentary life:

Here are a few fitness tips for you to choose from.

1. Walking:

The best way to combat a sedentary lifestyle is to walk. It’s one of the easiest and most effective exercises. Try to go out for a walk every day for 30 minutes. You can start with slow walking and then pace it up. It can be done at any time of the day. It gives you a break from constant sitting and has innumerable benefits such as :

Increases cardiovascular fitness.
Reduces chances of heart disease.
Reduces hypertension.
Cures joint pains.
Controls cholesterol.
Strengthens muscles.
It helps to lose weight
Controls diabetes.

2. Swimming:

Swimming is the best exercise for full-body fitness and is very good for the body and mind. Swimming thrice a week will give you a lot of movement in your sedentary life. You could try butterfly stroke, breaststroke, sidestroke, backstroke, and freestyle.

The benefits of swimming are:

Improves cardiovascular health.
It tones your whole body.
Improves muscle and bone strength.
Helps in weight loss.
Controls diabetes.
Improves sleep.
Manages stress.

Consider speaking to a trainer or coach before starting any intense swimming rounds to ensure safety.

3. Push-ups:

Standard push-ups are a great way to improve your core and upper body. Follow these steps and incorporate them into your daily routine.

The benefits of swimming are:

Get on to your knees and hands.
Legs and arms should be straight.
Try to lower your body without touching the floor and breathe in.
Pauses before putting yourself back up.
Repeat it in 3 sets.

The benefits of doing regular push-ups are:

Stretches the leg muscles.
Builds upper body strength
Gives joint support.
Improves cardiovascular health.

4. Doing planks:

Prolonged sitting can affect our core health and reduce metabolism. Planks are effective in building our core muscles that lead to better posture and combat lower back pain and muscle injuries. So, try out the following steps to build your core muscles.

First, keep your hands apart at shoulder-width length.
Lift the knee and keep the feet at the back.
Breath in and hold your core tight.
Straighten your neck and look down.
Hold it for 30 sec and then repeat.

The benefits of doing planks regularly are:

Improve pelvic alignment.
Enhances metabolism.
Improves cardiovascular and diabetes.

Also Read : Strength Training For Muscle Loss : Workout Tips – Vissco Next

5. Doing lunges:

Our core, legs, and glute are affected the most when we keep sitting for long, reducing muscle mass and strength. With lunges, you can work your leg, glute and core muscles. Try doing lunges in the morning before going out for a walk.

Following are the steps on how to do lunges.

Stand up and keep your feet apart.
Step forward to put one leg ahead and the other behind your upper body.
Lift your rear heel.
Bend your knee as low as possible. Hold your core tight.
Push off the front foot to repeat.

The benefits of doing lunges every day are:

Improves your posture.
ones gluteal muscles.
Reduces lower back pain.
Good for hip bones.
Helps in weight loss.

It’s very easy to lose sight of the benefits of movement and exercising when we’re living a fast paced life. However, it’s important that we consciously realise and break our sedentary slump with simple exercises that can be incorporated and divided during our day so as to maintain our physical and mental health.

Sources:
Benefits of Lunges: 11 Benefits, Types, and More
10 Best Exercises for Everyone

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