Get On Your Feet

During quarantine, if you slipped into slo mo mode and found comfort in your couch and a few binge-watch sessions, good for you. But too much lounging can lead to lasting health problems.

An inactive lifestyle, sometimes called sitting disease, can cause excess belly fat; increase your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels; and lead to obesity. Any one of these factors increases your risk for heart disease, diabetes, stroke, dementia or other serious health conditions.

“The American Heart Association recommends getting 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, or about 30 minutes a day five days a week,” said Avery T. Abernathy, DO, a family medicine physician with Meritas Health Park Plaza. “Try to break a sweat, which means you have reached an intensity level that makes the exercise meaningful.”

Get Moving

Moving around throughout the day helps lower your risk for health problems. Simply switching between sitting and standing every 30 minutes is a huge help.

At Home

• Get 20-30 minutes of cardio at least five days a week
• Stand while texting or talking on the phone
• Walk a few laps or climb stairs between TV episodes

At Work/Working From Home

• Stand while talking on the phone or eating lunch
• Take a walk around the block
• Invest in a standing desk