If you’re one of those people who hate the thought of exercising or simply can’t find the time to head down to the gym or pound the streets new research suggests that simply standing up more can help you keep fit. 

Studies have shown that the body’s metabolism reacts differently when people are standing to when they are sitting, with fat more likely to be burned than stored. The sheer effort of standing upright is enough to double the metabolic rate – and the amount of calories burned. Researchers now say that gentle activity such as pacing around while talking on the phone or tidying cupboards while watching TV is just as important, if not more so, than strenuous exercise.

 

According to the research many activities like talking on the phone or watching a child’s ball game can be done just as enjoyably upright, and you burn double the number of calories when you’re doing it. The jury is still out as far as health and fitness experts are concerned – and many believe that greater health and weight loss benefits – comes from a regular exercise programme such as brisk walking but this study does offer hope to all those who break into a sweat at the mere thought of breaking into a sweat.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 1st, 2008 at 4:20 am and is filed under In the News, Weight Loss. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.