Suffering From A Sedentary Lifestyle? 5 Ways To Avoid Becoming A Couch Potato

The Indian Council of Medical Research-Indian Diabetes (ICMR-INDIAB) carried out a survey in 2014 which showed that 54.4% of Indians were inactive, particularly in urban areas. A recent report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) corroborated this survey and stated that four out of 10 Indian adults (18-69 years) are physically inactive. Moreover, a whopping 41.3% of Indian adults lead a sedentary lifestyle.

The more you remain sedentary, the more likely it is for you to experience health issues later in life. Especially with the digital age, more and more people have become reliant on their gadgets to get things done. WHO states that a sedentary lifestyle raises the risk of mortality by doubling the chances of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, depression and anxiety. However, there are several ways to combat becoming a couch potato and for this you can take small steps to become more active and fit.

Regular five-minute walks

You don’t need to take drastic measures to have a healthy lifestyle such as waking up in the wee hours of the morning to go on hour-long walks. You just need to dedicate five minutes of walking in regular intervals to keep you fit. According to research by the American College of Sports Medicine, five minutes of light walking every 30 minutes can go a long way to prevent ailments. This can be done easily by doing some household chores such as cleaning floors and shelves manually, going for a walk to do grocery shopping instead of taking your car, and using the stairs every time and ditching the lift.

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Be Active During Work

For most people with desk jobs, sitting in one place is part of the daily routine. But sitting throughout the eight hours of your shift can cause health problems. Here are some ways you can be physically active during work hours: use the gym facilities if your office provides one, go out for a walk to get coffee, climb the stairs and take a call while walking.

Eat Healthier Snacks

All of us are guilty of eating junk food, whether it is chocolate, crisps, or ordering out. However, there are a bunch of healthy alternatives that can satiate your cravings as well. Instead of a bag of chips, try a granola bar or fruits. Try not getting food from outside and cook your own meals, which will keep you on your feet. These baby steps are enough to get on the healthier track.

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Gym Buddies

Sometimes we avoid going to the gym because we lack the motivation and consider it a tiresome activity, but having a friend by your side can help push you to exercise. You can hold each other accountable for going regularly to the gym. After all, exercising is great not only for your physical but mental well-being as well. If you think the gym is boring, try going to yoga or zumba classes together to get moving!

Avoid binge watching a show

TV series can be extremely addictive and we can easily fall into the trap of binge watching an entire series in one sitting. And binge watching means you will inevitably want to munch on snacks side by side. Try to break up your habit and watch an episode a day. The bottom line is that you need to avoid staying at one place and get as much movement as possible.

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