You gotta move

One of the downsides of gym culture is that, having worked out a few times a week, many people think being sedentary the rest of the time is okay.

The reality is that this sudden shift from 0–100 miles an hour can shock the body and cause the very stress you’re trying to avoid.

Rather than allocating exercise to specific, corralled time slots, it’s vital to move regularly throughout the day—ideally a little every hour.

This type of movement is often referred to as “spontaneous physical activity” or “incidental” exercise, as it’s simply about moving more in the context of your day—wherever you are, whenever you can.

Although you can feel a number of bodily functions as you sit, for instance your pulse, many processes rely on motor activity to keep them flowing. The lymphatic system, for example, needs you to move for its immune and detoxification effects.

Fluids can easily pool and stagnate when you are not