Modern life makes sitting incredibly easy. Many of us work at desks for hours at a time, drive everywhere, relax in the evenings watching television, scroll on our phones, or spend long stretches sitting during travel. Even people who exercise regularly can still end up spending a large portion of the day sedentary. The reality is that our bodies were designed for regular movement, and research increasingly suggests that long, uninterrupted periods of sitting may negatively impact health over time.
Why does sitting matter?
When we sit for prolonged periods, the body essentially shifts into a lower-functioning metabolic state. Muscle activity decreases, circulation slows, calorie expenditure drops, and important processes linked to blood sugar regulation and fat metabolism become less efficient.
Over time, high levels of sedentary behaviour have been associated with a potential increased risk of:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Poorer blood sugar regulation
- Higher cholesterol and blood pressure
- Weight gain
- Reduced mobility and muscle strength
- Poorer posture and back pain
- Increased risk of early mortality
Importantly, this is not just about exercise. Research suggests that even people who complete structured workouts may still experience negative effects from sitting for very long periods if the rest of the day is largely inactive. A large review published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (PUBMED ref 25599350) found that prolonged sedentary time was associated with higher risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and all-cause mortality, regardless of exercise levels. Another major review published in The Lancet suggested that higher levels of overall daily physical activity can help reduce (though not necessarily completely eliminate) the risks associated with prolonged sitting.
However, small changes really matter here and there is a lot you can do to reduce the impactful risks. For many of you, sitting is part of work and daily life. The goal is simply to break up long uninterrupted periods of sedentary time wherever possible.
Simple ways to sit less during the day:
- Stand up and move for 2–5 minutes every hour
- Take phone calls standing or walking
- Walk while listening to podcasts or meetings when possible
- Use reminders or smartwatch prompts to move regularly
- Park slightly further away or add short walks into errands
- Stretch or walk during television ad breaks
- Consider a standing desk for part of the day if available
- Build movement into routines you already have
- Aim for short walks after meals to support blood sugar regulation
- Focus on consistency rather than perfection
Coach Kim spend a lot of time at her desk has implemented her own way’s of moving more:
- When unloading the dishwasher Kim takes each item to the kitchen cabinets individually – more steps and more movement, whilst still getting the task done
- On the rare days in Scotland where the weather is warm, Kim will hang out the laundry and then walk a lap of the garden – a double win here of movement and time in the fresh air
- Utilizing a smaller water bottle whilst working means refilling it more frequently – a quick excuse to get up and head to the kitchen
Exercise is incredibly valuable, but movement across the entire day matters too. You do not need an extreme routine or a perfect setup. Small, repeated actions add up over time, and regularly breaking up sitting can be a meaningful investment in long-term health. Modern life may encourage us to sit more than ever before, but even gentle increases in daily movement can support energy, mobility, metabolic health, and overall wellbeing.
Way’s To Move More at Home
Many of you are at home often and getting outside to add steps isn’t always possible or practical. It may be poor weather, accessibility to places to go, or caring for family. Practical solutions are what matters here and there are a stack of options.
Of course, Tracy has many low impact/no jumping workout’s which can be a great, less intense way to move more at home. A walking pad is also an excellent idea. They aren’t designed for running and so it’s a very protective way to get more movement in. Set an alarm and hop on for 5 minutes every hour, if you’re otherwise sat down for a day. Why not walk on the spot for just 1 minute and take the opportunity to habit stack with grip strengthening. A set of grippers is a very cost effective way to support your health and you can do both activities at once. Cooking is a wonderful excuse to be moving around your kitchen – reaching, turning, gently using muscles – so why not grab some inspiration? The new Fuel for Fat Loss recipe playbook has 125 brand new recipes from our very own Move Daily Stratton. A super excuse to not only get some movement in, but try something delicious too.
Join Tracy and Guests on Move Daily Talks
Every Saturday Tracy is joined by a special guest on her hugely successful, and informative podcast, Move Daily Talks. Here is the latest release for you to listen to, learn from and enjoy. Or watch it on YouTube.
This Weeks Workouts!
Here is your handy reminder of the current week’s workouts. All of the workouts are available either free via the YouTube channel, or are the Members Exclusive workouts, which you can access if you sign up to our Membership. Don’t forget that the workouts are released across the week and so make sure you are signed up for YouTube notifications by subscribing to the channel.
