Simple workouts for a sedentary lifestyle
“It makes it easy to break from the sedentary lifestyle of those who fear hardcore gym sessions,” he says, adding that walking and squatting after a meal is advisable.
Walking is a simple, free, and powerful way to improve one's physical and mental health. (AFP)
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For some, the crowning glory is getting a desk job in an office that pays a handsome salary. They see all the perks that are attached to the job, but have no idea that being at the desk requires the necessary exercise to combat ill consequences.
According to Aloysius Kizito, a fitness expert, simple and effective workouts can help those living sedentary lifestyles.
“It makes it easy to break from the sedentary lifestyle of those who fear hardcore gym sessions,” he says, adding that walking and squatting after a meal is advisable.
“Fifteen minutes of walking and squatting after a meal forces the liver to send glucose into the working muscles instead of sending it into blood stream. This helps to avoid blood sugar spikes after meals."
Kizito says that is why rice-consuming societies like China and Japan have this walking habit after meals.
Such simple exercises are also good for maintaining lower body strength for the aged, who usually sit a lot. Kizito says the exercises are effective at managing high blood pressure and improving blood circulation.
In five minutes of exercise a day could help millions of people live longer, a BBC article advises people to exercise for as little as five minutes for the health benefits therein.
“Just five minutes of moderate activity each day – such as brisk walking, cycling or climbing stairs – could prevent around one in ten premature deaths, which could help millions of individuals live longer,” the article states.
The World Health Organisation recommends that adults should still strive for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week.
For those who are busy at work and may find it hard to make time for some workout, “exercise snacking” does it. This is where “small bursts of activity are spread throughout the day” such as taking the stairs and moving around the workplace.
So if you are the desk-ridden worker, fitness expert Kizito recommends the following simple exercises:
▪️Walking
▪️Arm swings
▪️Standing slow knee raises
▪️Stretching
▪️Body weight squats