No matter how active you think you are, sitting too much can wreak havoc on your wellbeing. Although the term ‘active couch potato’ may sound like a contradiction, it’s real – and it can come with some dire health consequences.
What Is An Active Couch Potato?
An active couch potato is a term used to describe someone who is sedentary for most of the day (so, pretty much anyone who works a desk job), but still makes time for the odd bit of exercise or physical activity.
Unsure if this could be you? Some defining characteristics of an active couch potato include:
- Long periods spent sedentary, whether it’s at a computer, watching TV or just lounging around. An active couch potato spends long stretches of time immobile.
- Short bursts of physical activity, which may involve taking a walk or going to the gym. These workouts are infrequent and may not meet the recommended amount of daily physical activity (at least 30 minutes per day or 150 minutes per week).
- The belief of being active without any real consistency. An active couch potato may consider themselves to be active because they exercise on occasion, but it tends to be sporadic.
- An imbalance between the time spent sitting and the time spent moving. Although active couch potatoes may partake in physical activity, their time spent sedentary far outweighs their time spent exercising.
What Are the Associated Health Risks of Sitting Too Much?
Being an active couch potato comes with a series of health risks. Studies show that sitting for long periods of time increases the risk of heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. It can also lead to weight gain, muscle weakness and poor circulation.
Too much sitting can contribute to feelings of anxiety and depression, and in extreme circumstances, can lead to a higher risk of early death.
Even if you exercise, sitting for long periods can cancel out the benefits of your workout.
How Can You Break the Habit?
To combat the negative effects of being an active couch potato, try standing, walking or stretching for one to two minutes every 30 minutes. You can even set a timer to remind you!
Try to make physical activity a regular part of your everyday life by walking whenever you can. This might involve walking around while you talk on the phone, working from a standing desk, doing squats while the ads are on TV and taking a few minutes to dance to your favourite song.
You can also try swapping out your car for a bicycle on short trips and taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Best of all, you won’t even notice you’re exercising!
