Getting to the Heart of the Matter about Exercise
The Science of Sitting
We all know that exercise is good for the heart–but what kind of exercise is best, and what specific protocol is most effective? We are big fans of HubermanLab, the podcast and social media platform by Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., Professor of Neuroscience at Stanford University. He recently posted about a Stanford health symposium he attended where a cardiologist colleague dropped a bit of a bomb: Even if we get the recommended 180 minutes of Zone 2 cardio per week, the health benefits are erased by sitting for over five hours per day. He then went on to recommend the protocol of making sure you maintain a 1:1 ratio of sitting to standing each day, in addition to three to four 10-minute walks throughout the day. Sounds a lot like microworkouts, right?
Un-learning Sitting Behavior
Yes, we are constantly beating the “microworkout drum,” but it is great to see the idea backed up by some heavy-hitting scientists. It makes sense–we are built to move. Unfortunately, starting in the first grade of school–one of the biggest things we learn is how to sit. Then most of us carry on this unhealthy skill into our work lives. Those that make training a part of their lives generally exercise in one- to two-hour bouts of exercise per day, and spend the rest of the day in a fairly sedentary fashion. Even if you enjoy training for one or two hours all at once, it would be a great added health benefit to build an additional three to four lower intensity movement sessions into your day.
Paleo Diet–Paleo Movement?
The Paleo Diet (a method of eating that focuses on lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, and eliminates modern farming products like dairy, legumes, and grains) has enjoyed enormous popularity over the last twenty years, and has helped many reformulate what they eat and enjoy better health in the process. But what about Paleo exercise? Many problem areas of the modern Western diet can be eliminated by eating Paleo (or many other diet solutions) but sitting around between meals, or even getting all your exercise in one big dose, is not what a Paleolithic man (or woman) would have done. By doing microworkouts throughout the day, we can move like our ancestors as well as eat like them.
Linking Exercise to Other Things In Your Day
A great way to develop new habits is to link the new desired behavior to habits that you already have throughout the day. This is why we suggest linking microworkouts to your meals throughout the day. Think of a microworkout as punching your meal ticket throughout the day. In addition to the physiological benefits, a little movement will wake you up and improve your mood as you tackle the next segment of your work day. If you don’t like the meal ticket idea, try linking some movement to using the bathroom. (Yes, we are tempted to call this Potty Training.) If you do 15 squats to the toilet seat every time you go to the bathroom, you will be giving your heart, brain, and body a valuable gift. You will also be greatly reducing the chance that someone will ever have to help you off the toilet in your old age.
Microworkouts are Contagious
We have both had the experience at work or at school that microworkouts are contagious. First they ask you what you’re doing, then you invite them to join (and they say no), then they jump in and join you. Along the way, you get the opportunity to tell coworkers or fellow students why you’re moving throughout the day–and they get a chance to reflect on how these microworkouts are helping them. Pretty soon, you have built a solid microworkout crew that motivates one another, and keeps each other accountable. The same phenomenon occurs at home. We have both had the experience of our kids joining in on microworkouts–it’s a great gift to share, and one that just doesn’t happen in a gym environment.
The New Cigarette Break
If you work 9-5 (or longer) the microworkout framework can be challenging. Yes, you can do a microworkout before breakfast and leaving for work, and you can do one before dinner in the evening–but what about during your workday? Well, there are coworkers that have paved the way for you–smokers! If they can take a break for a cigarette, surely you can take a break for some movement. In the length of time they take to smoke a cigarette, you can easily do 25 squats or 10 push-ups. Maybe you’ll even get a smoker or two to come over to your side of the street.
The Main Takeaway
The main takeaway is that moving a bit throughout the day is what your heart, mind, and body really wants. So, give it a try–and let us know how it goes.
Until next time,
Scott and Lennart