Women who stay slim by never sitting down
They stand for ten hours a day – and it boosts their health too
FOR AT least ten hours every day, Mary Dalgleish is on her feet. From her 6am start to 11pm bedtime, the 61-year-old therapist and teacher tries to sit down as little as possible: staying standing when she’s with clients, rather than perching on a chair.
Even at weekends, Mary resists the temptation to sink into a comfy armchair, instead remaining steadfastly standing, giving lectures at a local college, going for long walks around the London parks with husband Pat, 59, gardening or even standing as she watches the TV.
It’s not that Mary doesn’t like sitting down, rather that she’s made the choice to stay standing for the good of her health. And thanks to a slew of new research that links sitting to illness, she’s not alone.
Sitting for long periods is linked to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes. Some researchers have even compared it to the ill-effects of smoking.
And research has found that living an otherwise active lifestyle doesn’t undo the damage. A recent Public Health England report found British people spend a staggering 60 per cent of their waking hours seated.
The NHS is concerned, and is running a year-long trial assessing the benefits of height-adjustable desks, which allow workers to stand.
‘Standing is great for the body and mind, helping to fend off obesity, heart attacks, strokes, dementia, depression and some cancers,’ says Professor Kevin Fenton, national director of health and wellbeing at Public Health England. So no wonder more women are consciously trying to stand for long periods of the day. MARY began standing for up to 80 hours a week after being diagnosed with osteoporosis in 2009. ‘It was a real shock,’ she says. ‘The doctor put me on one drug to improve my bone density, but it made me come out in a rash, while another caused digestive issues.
‘And when I returned for a bone scan a year later, my readings had got worse. From then on I was determined to help myself. I read that doing weightbearing exercise — where you’re on your feet — builds bone density. So I started standing much more.’
‘Now I’ll start my day by walking ten minutes to the gym to work out, then walking back home where my treatment room is. There, I’ll treat up to seven clients. I only sit if I’m doing parts of a facial massage.
‘After I’ve seen my last client of the day, at 8pm, I usually go for another 30-minute walk. After that I might sit down and watch some TV. And of course, I sometimes sit during the day — for a cup of tea or to eat meals.’
Two years later, in July 2012, Mary had another scan and, while still on the osteoporosis scale, her bone density readings had improved significantly.
‘I was delighted. My doctor said she’d never seen anything like it.
Scientists have long known that being on our feet is better for health. In 1953, a study of bus drivers and conductors found the drivers were nearly twice as likely as their standing colleagues to die of heart disease.
The new campaign Get Britain Standing confirms the fact that people who sit for more than eight hours a day double their risk of heart disease compared to those who sit for four hours or less. It’s also a key contributor to weight gain.
Standing burns 50 calories more per hour than sitting and after just 90 minutes of sitting your metabolism slows significantly. Spend an extra 30 minutes a day on your feet, however, and the extra calorie burn could add up to 5.2lb of weight loss over a year.
But why, exactly, is sitting so dangerous? ‘ The truth is we don’t know,’ says Professor John Buckley, professor of applied exercise science at the University of Chester and one of the researchers behind the report. ‘Studies have looked at its effect on our circulation and our blood sugar and insulin levels. Scientists are even looking at changes in genetics in the body linked with muscles being deactivated. But the main point is reducing sitting time has a protective effect.’
This i s something mother- ofthree Sue Antiss, 49, from Maidenhead in Berkshire, has deliberately done. A company director, she’s invested in standing desks for her staff and now stands for seven hours a day at work, and an another four outside working hours.
‘Because I work in the leisure industry, I’ve always been aware of the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle,’ says Sue. ‘But I didn’t think it applied to me because I was sporty — my husband Matt, 49, is a personal trainer. Then, a few years ago, I remember seeing a poster titled Sitting Kills that shocked me. I might be active outside work, but from 9–5, five days a week, I was on my backside.’
It was this alongside her lower back pain that made Sue investigate standing up at work. ‘I’d invested a lot in supportive office chairs but nothing worked,’ she says. ‘I found a company called Varidesk online and ordered one for £350. you put them on top of your normal desk, with your computer and keyboard on them, and can move them up and down. ‘I was amazed at how natural it f elt. Even longer tasks like writing a document felt fine. And I felt less, not more, tired by the end of the day. ‘My back pain has disappeared. Occasionally my legs will feel tired and I lean back on my stool a bit more.
‘I bought them for all ten of us — and business has never been better. We get more done. Because you’re already on your feet, you’re more likely to walk over to chat to colleagues than send an email. It seems crazy now that I used to do that.’
At weekends, Sue is usually found watching her three daughters participate in activities or going for long walks in an effort to stay standing.
‘I recently went to a conference and it felt unnatural to sit all day,’ she says. ‘For the afternoon session I stood at the side — and I almost felt embarrassed doing so. People need permission to move more at work. We need to get the word out that it’s healthy and makes you better at your job.’
Professor Buckley says Sue’s advice is spot on. ‘No one should sit for more than 45 minutes at a time,’ he says. ‘Scientists are always trying to find the right ratio of activity versus sitting, but we need to intuitively move more.
‘If you need to chat to someone, walk and talk. Having one central bin in an office, rather than one under each desk, is helpful. Spend your breaks doing something active, not sitting in the canteen or at your desk.’
But standing for significantly more of your day can present problems if you’re not used to it, says physiotherapist Elizabeth Atherton, who advises increasing the time on your feet gradually. ‘If you stand for long periods without moving around, blood can pool i n the l egs and increase your risk of varicose veins.
‘And if you wear unsuitable shoes or have poor posture, then aching feet, joints and back may result.’
Atherton suggests investing in comfortable shoes with a supportive insole and no more than a slight heel.
‘If you’re stationary for a while, you can do calf raises, knee bends and circle your ankles to boost circulation,’ she adds. ‘When you get home, put your feet up for half an hour.’
SWAPPING to a new desk wasn’t an option for Julia Scodie, so she left her job and now stands for around 12 hours a day. ‘For nine years I worked in the charity sector as a project manager,’ says Julia, 35, from North London. ‘I was at my desk for a minimum of eight hours a day, usually longer.
‘I inherited scoliosis, a curvature of the spine, from my dad. He’s an accountant and has spent his life working at a desk. I’ve seen the damage it’s done to him — he’s had four operations. I didn’t want to go the same way. In 2007 I vowed I’d be on my feet more and sitting less.
‘I started walking whenever I could. Sometimes I need to take the Tube but I walk up and down the escalators and stand for the journey. Weekends are for long walks, and I love to go out dancing in the evenings.’
Her new love of standing also led Julia to try a new career. ‘I left my job in September 2011, qualified as a Pilates instructor in February 2012 and started my business, Exercise In The City. I’ve never been happier.’
As Mary Dalgleish can attest, perhaps this is the greatest benefit of all.
‘I feel less tired, more alive and my mood is better. It’s changed my life.’