If you love the cricket, there’s plenty of action to choose from over the summer months. And with the Aussies performing above expectations against India, it might be hard to tear yourself away from the big screen. But cricket loving couch potatoes be warned - being sedentary is a dangerous habit.

Inactivity ranks in the same class as smoking and high blood pressure in regards to the negative impact it can have on heart health. What’s more, a sedentary lifestyle is a major contributing factor to the high levels of excess body fat experienced by men. Television has a number of effects that actually cause an increase in fatness. It decreases the amount of physical activity that you could be doing, and it increases the chances of unhealthy snacking. It’s also thought that a significant proportion of the physical decline associated with getting older is because of inactivity.

But it’s not just sitting in front of the television that’s a concern. People move from one seat to another between home, work, and back again. Our everyday lives are inactive because of a growing dependence on computers, and energy saving devices such as remote controls. You can even stay seated while ordering a drive-through meal from some fast food restaurants. Maybe our bottoms are evolving to provide extra padding for all this sitting. Or maybe it’s time to turn off the television, get up on your feet and get moving.

Physical activity is a vital component of health and wellness, and the benefits are numerous. Fortunately, there are some ways to get the best of both worlds and incorporate exercise while watching your favourite sport.

• Do some vigorous housework, like cleaning a few windows in between deliveries
• Use exercise equipment like a bike or treadmill while watching television
• Perform a training circuit while watching sport, including pushups, skipping, sits ups, jogging on the spot, dips, step ups, lunges and squats. The Blackmores Personal Health System has video demonstrations of more than a hundred exercises you can perform at home. 
• Exercise before and after the sports coverage

Do you spend a lot of time watching televised sports? Do you have any suggestions on how to incorporate activity into your television viewing habits?

Comment

Name: *

Gender:

Male Female

Email Address: *

Comment:

 

I have read and aggree to Blackmores Terms of use

* Your post may appear online after a member of the Blackmores Online Team has reviewed it.

Notification

Your post is pending approval

Your post has been sent to a Blackmores Administrator for approval as it contains words or phrases that may not comply with our Posting Guidelines and Terms of Service. A Blackmores Administrator will review your post to determine whether or not it can be published.

You will be notified via email when your post is published or if it has been declined.

For further information about what can and can't be discussed within the Blackmores Community, please view our Terms of Service and Posting Guidelines.