O sedentary lifestyle it is related to several health risks, such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, muscle and joint problems, in addition to having negative impacts on mental health. Therefore, combating this habit is one of the main current challenges.
This Sunday (10), the World Day to Combat Sedentaryism aiming to raise awareness among the population about the health risks that a sedentary lifestyle poses and encourage regular exercise.
“The lack of regular physical activity compromises the heart as a whole, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. It contributes to the accumulation of fat in the arteries, increases blood pressure, and reduces the heart's ability to pump blood efficiently to the body”, explains Roberto Yano, cardiologist.
Even though it brings health benefits, putting aside sedentary behavior and starting a more physically active life can be quite challenging. To help you, CNN with the help of experts, listed 6 tips for exercising and get out of a sedentary lifestyle once and for all. Check out:
1. Incorporate any type of physical exercise into your routine
When we think about physical exercise, the gym comes to mind. Despite being good options for physical activity, weight training and gymnastics are not the only modalities that are useful in combating a sedentary lifestyle.
“Many people believe that being healthier is expensive, that to practice physical activities you need to go to gyms and pay for a personal trainer, but it is now possible to stop being sedentary by including some activities in your routine and making some changes to your habits”, says Yano .
The tip to get out of inertia is find an activity you enjoy doing . It could be taking a walk outside, riding a bike, playing a sport, starting swimming or taking a dance or fighting class.
“It is necessary to include activities that generate pleasure. The sedentary person who seeks to break out of inertia and move needs motivation, that is, he needs to see meaning in continuing until he can make that habit easy”, advises Matheus Vianna, personal trainer on the Instituto Nutrindo Idealis team.
2. Start calmly and progressively
If you've never done physical activity before, there's no need to go too thirsty. Starting slowly, little by little, and gradually increasing the intensity and frequency of exercise is part of the process towards a less sedentary life.
“As my main tip, I always suggest returning to activities progressively, so opt for a low frequency of once or twice a week and gradually increase it”, says Vianna.
3. Set realistic goals
Still in this sense of “starting slowly”, it is necessary to set realistic goals. For example, there is no point in wanting to run a marathon in your first week of physical exercise. You need to recognize your limits and respect them.
“It is recommended to start with light activities, such as short walks, gradually increasing the intensity. Set realistic goals, find pleasurable activities and seek professional guidance whenever possible to have a better directed evolution”, advises Yano.
4. Remember to keep moving throughout the day
Even among those who practice some physical activity at some time of the day, it is important to remember to continue moving during the remaining hours.
“It has become increasingly common to sit for long hours. To improve this situation, it is important to take regular breaks to get up, stretch and walk, even if only a little, during work”, says the cardiologist.
Choosing to take the stairs instead of taking the elevator, when possible, is also a good way to keep your body moving even when you are not exercising. “This can help reduce sedentary behavior”, he adds.
5. Eat a healthy diet and get good quality sleep
The health benefits of physical activity are enhanced when associated with other healthy practices, such as maintaining a healthy and balanced diet and getting good quality sleep. Without these two factors, the body does not have the fuel it needs to move and make great efforts during the day.
Therefore, try to maintain a bedtime and wake-up time every day, keeping an average of 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night . Furthermore, if possible, seek help from a nutritionist or nutritionist to carry out dietary re-education and create a healthy and balanced plan for your meals.
6. Seek professional help
The final but not least important tip is seek professional help before and during this process . “It is important to remember that, for example, if you have already developed obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, dyslipidemia, if you smoke or if you have a heart problem, it is extremely important that you first see a cardiologist to be evaluated and released to undergo physical exercise”, warns Yano.
The cardiologist also emphasizes that, even healthy people, without any of these risk factors, must undergo a medical evaluation before starting regular exercise.
Furthermore, it is interesting to have the guidance and support of a physical education teacher. He is the one who will guide the correct execution of the exercises, modulate their intensity and help prevent injuries.
Source: CNN Brasil
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