Sitting is the new smoking. At least that was a new idea a few years ago. Today, I suppose many people would tell you that remaining unvaccinated is the new smoking, but I'd better not get off on a tangent with that one.



A sedentary lifestyle causes, or contributes to, metabolic dysfunction, muscle imbalances, pain, depression, cardiovascular problems, and decreases in mental and physical performance.



If you believe you're an active adult, you might be fooling yourself. One of the largest ongoing studies in the United States, called the NHANES study, uncovered a major gap between how physically active we believe we are, and how physically active we actually are. 



The study found that 65% of Americans thought they were “active” when asked. When measured, just 5% of Americans met the movement levels of an “active” individual. 



You might be extremely “busy.” However, “busy” has no relation to how active or sedentary you are. That's why you ought to consider the contents of this article carefully.





Adults sit in car pool lanes, at kids’ practices, at desks or in meetings at work, in the car during commutes, and while watching movies or browsing the internet. 



It’s often hard to keep kids still, but most adults must be intentional about getting enough movement during the day.



Even those who exercise regularly are not immune to the effects of a sedentary lifestyle. Research shows that those who exercise intensely tend to be more sedentary the rest of the day than those who don’t. 



That’s not to say those who don’t exercise are healthier, though. They most definitely are not. 



What Does It Mean To be Sedentary? 



Someone who is sedentary is a little more active than someone on bedrest. From a metabolic standpoint, it’s like your metabolism in stuck in sleep mode. 



The easiest way to classify your level of activity is through counting steps. You could use a Fitbit, an Apple Watch, or any of the numerous other movement trackers. 



The following table outlines adult activity levels by step count.



Steps Per dayCategory<5000Sedentary5,000-7,499Low Active7,500-9,999Somewhat Active10,000-12,499Active>12,500Highly Active



Note: If you get a movement tracker, don’t cheat by wearing it during your workout, especially if you’re a runner. 



Treat your daily movement as something separate of your exercise sessions. 



The first time I tracked my steps, I was shocked by how few I averaged. I don’t think you need to track steps for the rest of your life, but by doing so for a couple months, you can develop more of a habit of moving throughout the day. 



Many devices even have periodic reminders if they sense you’ve been sitting too long. 



Sitting and Your Metabolism



Check this out! A sedentary lifestyle increases your risk of:




developing diabetes by 112%



developing cardiovascular disease by 147%



cardiovascular mortality by 90%



“all-cause” mortality by 49%




How can this be? 



For many years, it was believed that too much sitting caused weight gain because you burn fewer calories. It’s not true. 



To explain what happens, I have to share a couple fascinating research studies.



Research shows that the connection between a sedentary lifestyle and weight gain has little to do with calorie burning. 



The real problem is that sitting causes a dysfunction in your metabolism. 



Animal studies are easier to control than human studies, so here’s what happened in a fascinating rat study...



When rats are allowed to run, they typically run about 12 miles per day on the wheel in their cage. Think of it as a mini treadmill. Can you see those little legs scrambling for 12 miles each day?! 



When researchers locked their wheels, the rats got fat. That’s not surprising. 



What was surprising was that the rats still got just as fat when their food intake was reduced to compensate for the calories they didn’t burn from running. 



Put more simply,