Sedentary Lifestyle: What It Means and How to Fix It

A sedentary lifestyle is one where most of your waking day is spent sitting or lying down, with very little movement. For many office workers it creeps up without them noticing. Here’s what it means for your health and the simple steps that help fix it.

What is a sedentary lifestyle?

Being sedentary means spending long periods sitting or lying down while awake, using very little energy. Think about a typical day: sitting at breakfast, on the train or in the car, at your desk for eight hours, back on the commute, then on the sofa in the evening. It’s easy to spend most of your waking hours seated.

It’s worth knowing that being sedentary and being inactive are not quite the same thing. You can go to the gym three times a week and still spend most of the rest of your day sitting. Both matter, which is why the fix involves both moving more through the day and doing some regular exercise.

Why a sedentary lifestyle is a health concern

The NHS and the UK Chief Medical Officers advise adults to reduce long periods of sitting and to break them up with some activity. Large studies have linked spending a lot of time sitting with a higher risk of several health problems, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and weight gain.

Part of the reason is simple. When you sit still for long periods, you use less energy and your muscles do very little work. Over months and years, that can affect your weight, your fitness and how your body handles blood sugar. It’s also linked with stiff joints and aches, especially in the neck, back and hips.

The encouraging part is that you don’t need to overhaul your life. Small, regular changes add up. If you’d like to read more, see our articles on exercise and heart disease and exercise and type 2 diabetes.

Note: exercise supports your health but is not a replacement for medical treatment. If you have a heart condition, diabetes, high blood pressure or another health condition, or you’ve been inactive for a long time, speak to your GP before starting a new exercise plan.

How to fix a sedentary lifestyle: 4 practical steps

1. Break up sitting every 30-60 minutes

This is the easiest place to start. Every 30-60 minutes, stand up and move for a couple of minutes. Walk to fill your water, stretch, take a call standing, or do a few squats. Set a reminder on your phone or watch if you need one. A standing desk can help too, and our standing desk exercises give you ideas to use it well.

2. Walk more every day

Walking is the simplest way to add movement. Get off the bus a stop early, walk to the shops, take a walk at lunch and walk on phone calls. Start from where you are now and build up gradually. Our guide to how many steps a day to lose weight explains how to set a realistic target.

3. Take the stairs

Stairs are free exercise built into your day. Use them at work, at the station and at home. Climbing stairs gets your heart rate up and works your legs, and it adds up over the week. If you live or work in a tall building, try walking up a few floors before taking the lift for the rest. It’s a small challenge that gets easier every week, which is a good sign your fitness is improving.

4. Do strength training twice a week

The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend adults do activities that strengthen their muscles on at least two days a week, alongside regular aerobic activity. Strength training helps maintain muscle as you get older, supports your joints and makes everyday life easier. Two 45-minute sessions covering squats, hinges, pushes, pulls and carries is a great starting point. Our personal training programme is built around exactly these movements.

Making it work with a desk job

If your job keeps you seated for most of the day, the key is planning. Put your training sessions in your calendar. Walk to and from work if you can, or take a walk before and after work if you’re at home. Batch your breaks around meetings. If you also want to lose some weight, our guide to fat loss for busy professionals shows how to fit it all around a demanding job.

Start small and keep going

You don’t need to go from sitting all day to running marathons. Pick one change this week, such as a short walk at lunch or standing up every hour. When it feels normal, add the next one. Consistency matters far more than intensity.

It also helps to notice your evenings and weekends. After a day at a desk, it’s tempting to spend the evening on the sofa too. A short walk after dinner, some time in the garden, playing with the kids or a weekend walk on the Heath all count. The goal is simply less time sitting still and more time moving, in whatever way suits your life.

If you’d like help building strength and a healthy routine, we coach busy professionals 1-to-1 in our private studio in Archway, and offer a free consultation to get you started.

Want this coached 1-to-1? We’ll help you build movement and strength into a busy week. Book a free consultation at our Archway studio.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as a sedentary lifestyle?

A sedentary lifestyle means spending most of your waking hours sitting or lying down with little movement, for example at a desk, in the car and on the sofa.

Is sitting all day bad for you?

The NHS and UK Chief Medical Officers advise breaking up long periods of sitting. Too much sitting has been linked with heart disease, type 2 diabetes and weight gain.

How do I fix a sedentary lifestyle?

Get up and move every 30-60 minutes, walk more, take the stairs and do strength training at least twice a week. Start with one small change and build from there.

Can exercise cancel out sitting all day?

Regular exercise helps a lot, but it’s still worth breaking up long periods of sitting through the day. The best approach combines both.

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