Sign in Subscribe

The Sedentary Lifestyle of Desk Jobs Is Killing You!

8/10 people work at desk jobs. If you are one of them, congratulations! According to modern-day fit-fluencers, you'll die early!

'Sitting is the new smoking' – yeah, right!

Debunking Sedentary Life Myths: What's Fact and What's Fiction?

In this article, we'll explore whether or not they are right. Just because someone has a smartphone doesn't make them an influencer, any more than owning a car makes me an F1 racer.

Before you point the same finger at me,

let me tell you:

I don't have a car.

In all seriousness, the only thing that makes me different from them is 2 years of academic fitness education. And about as little experience as 5 years in training 1,059 real-world clients and making them fit again.

If that doesn't make you read further:

I'll spoil the ending for you! 'They are right!'

The Impact of Prolonged Sitting on Your Health

Let's take a step back. I suppose you are a good employee. Work 8 hours a day. Or at least pretend to. This often results in lengthened periods of physical inactivity, a core characteristic of a sedentary lifestyle.

So by my crazy maths skills, you spend at least 67 days out of 365 days crunching keys on your keyboard—sitting, reclining, and yawning.

The Downside of a Desk-Bound Routine

As a result, you move less, drink less water, and eat less than what your ancestors ate 1000 years ago. Hanging out and killing animals for fun.

For obvious reasons that is not possible in this day and age, but that took away the motivation to move around.

We are building a civilization of convenience. And the consequences of this inactive lifestyle are not good.

Implications of a Sedentary Routine

You keep gaining weight. Your waistline increases, pants don't fit and you stare at your friends when they ask you to climb stairs.

Stairs aren't fun! I get you.

But let's go a little deeper into what happens when you are not active for most of your day.

Your Bums Scream

Also called your gluteal muscles, they become less active over time.

Those are directly in sync with your leg muscles (hamstrings and quadriceps). You will soon start experiencing your pelvic tilt.

When that happens your core (your abs) loses the ability to keep your pelvic floor together.

In plain English, you start standing weirdly.

A sedentary lifestyle leads your pelvic floor to tilt. Source

Your Back Hurts

When you slouch, your trap muscles become dormant. Start accumulating fat to protect your neck from the weight of your head. Peck muscles become stiff and shoulders rounded.

So now you stand weird and look weird.

An inactive lifestyle will make you look weird Source

And this is just the beginning. If you keep on like this, your cardiovascular health will drop, muscles will shrink, and you'll soon start looking like your 80-year-old you minus the perfect white beard.

That extra weight, less energy, fatigue, and lost drive will result in obesity. It's a pandemic.

Sustained obesity will lead you to become diabetic. Prolonged diabetes will open the Pandora's box. Metabolic failure is responsible for 50% of American deaths.

So yes! Sitting in front of your desk will kill you!

But how can I let you do that?

I have literally transformed 1000 lives and I don't plan to stop!

10 minutes!

Do this 10-minute routine to get your life back!

You don't need to go to the gym just yet!

1) Back Tension Relief!

Let's start with some sweet relief for that tense back. Try a Cat-Cow Stretch:

  • Get on all fours, hands under shoulders, knees under hips.
  • Inhale, arch your back, tilt your head and hips up – that's the Cow.
  • Exhale, round your spine, tuck your chin to your chest – hello, Cat.
  • Do this for 1-2 minutes. It's like giving your spine a nice morning stretch, but any time of the day!
  • Watch a quick video here

Benefits

  • Great for loosening up the entire spine, reducing back tension, and promoting flexibility.
  • Regular practice helps in correcting a hunched posture by encouraging spinal alignment

2) Peck Extension

Time to open up that chest with the Doorway Chest Stretch:

  • Find a doorway (obviously).
  • Place your forearms on the door frame, elbows about shoulder height.
  • Step one foot forward, lean into the doorway until you feel a nice stretch across your chest.
  • Hold for about 20-30 seconds, then switch your leading foot.
  • Do it 2-3 times on each side.
  • Think of it as giving your chest a big yawn after hours of being hunched over.
  • Watch the video here

Benefits

  • Opens up the chest and shoulders, countering the forward slump from desk work.
  • Essential for reversing that rounded shoulder look and encouraging a more open posture.

3) Trap Strengthening

For traps, Shrugs are your best friend:

  • Stand or sit with weights in your hands (dumbbells or water bottles, your pick).
  • Lift your shoulders up towards your ears, hold for a sec, and release.
  • Aim for 3 sets of 10-15 reps.
  • Think of it as shrugging off the stress – literally.

Benefits

  • Specifically targets the traps, essential for a healthy neck and upper back posture.
  • Helps reduce the risk of neck strain and tension headaches from poor posture.

4) Hip Extension

Time for Glute Bridges to wake those sleepy hips:

  • Lie on your back, feet flat, knees bent.
  • Lift your hips, squeeze those glutes at the top, lower back down.
  • Do 3 sets of 10-15 reps.
  • It’s like you’re pushing the ceiling with your hips – but more fun.
  • To start off, do this without any weights.
  • Watch a quick video here.

Benefits

  • Strengthens the glutes and hamstrings, key players in maintaining pelvic alignment.
  • Alleviates lower back pain and corrects anterior pelvic tilt caused by prolonged sitting.

5) McGill Big 3

Lastly, the McGill Big 3, named after spine guru Dr. Stuart McGill:

  • Curl-Up: Lie down, one knee bent, hands under the lower back. Lift your head and shoulders slightly. Hold, then down. Do about 10 per side.
  • Side Plank: Lie on your side, prop on your elbow, and lift your hips. Hold for 10-15 seconds per side.
  • Bird Dog: On all fours, extend opposite arm and leg, hold, then switch. About 10 per side.
  • Think of it as a mini-spine boot camp.

Benefits

  • These exercises collectively strengthen the core, essential for overall postural stability.
  • They help in reducing lower back pain and improve the body's ability to maintain an upright posture.

Reverse the Damage of Your Sedentary Lifestyle

Start lifting weights. When you grow old, your muscles will be your saviors. You want to play with your grandkids right? Lift them? throw them in the air? (hopefully, catch them back as well)

Muscles are the key. They are important for maintaining stability and stamina as you age. You must have heard about hip replacements whenever an old person falls with just a misstep. Muscles are the insurance policy against it.

Focus on strength training 3 days a week, with optimum nutrition based on your allergies!

If that's too much to ask, just start with walking for 30 minutes after dinner. It has been shown to reduce glucose spikes, which inevitably lead to diabetes in the long term.

Do this consistently, and see your life get back on steroids!

When you're ready: I have built a personalized coaching program just for you!