28/03/2024
We have an overweight problem. Not just an obesity problem.
1 billion are obese, but 1.5 billion are overweight globally. [Lancet and WHO]
Being overweight is a precursor to obesity.
That's why sitting at a desk for 40 years, 8 hours a day should no longer be acceptable.
My crowd (the 40s+ working in office jobs), simply don't move enough vs the amount of energy intake.
Why?
Because it's really hard to move when you're stuck on calls all day.
[The picture of me below is me trying to sit in an active seated position and work from a laptop to my left. A bit pretentious, but it's helping my back]
But how much energy do we need in a work day?
1. Men should aim for 2,500 calories a day, and women 2,000 [NHS]
2. BUT Europeans and North Americans eat 3,540 a day [United Nations]
Fun fact:
Over Christmas, 50%-90% of weight is gained then, but not lost after January.
And the good news for desk-sitters is that you can off-set a day of sitting with 30-40 minutes of moderate or vigorous exercise.
- Moderate exercise is about 60% of your max heart rate.
- Vigorous is about 80%+ of your max heart rate.
(To work out your max heart rate, check your smartwatch. Or subtract your age from 220).
If you can't manage that, here are some other options:
OPTION 1
Keep a lid on things over Xmas - eat less when on the non-party days, and move more. Lose it in Jan.
OPTION 2
Change your attitude to movement: standing desks, lots of breaks, walk up and down the stairs.
OPTION 3
Micro-dose it. For 10 hours of a day, burn an extra 20-40 calories. That's about 2 minutes of jumping rope out of every 60 minutes. Or a 10 minute walk at a pace.
How do you keep yourself moving during a working day? Is it even possible?
PS. I send a newsletter every 1-2 weeks for people who work in offices and have little time to exercise and have little mental bandwidth to digest reams of online health information. If you want a simple, practical tips in your inbox, check https://simonlamey.mailchimpsites.com/
