Get Off the Sofa

Researchers from Laval University in Quebec published their findings on the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle in the medical journal Obesity Facts. As the world has become more industrialized and computerized, lifestyles have shifted from physically active to sedentary. As activity has decreased, obesity has increased. These researchers found that a sedentary lifestyle affects weight gain by more than simply a reduction in calorie expenditure from physical activity.

A sedentary lifestyle is linked to:

- Reduced physical activity
- Reduced sleep
- Increase in mental work — which stimulates excess food intake
- Increase in television viewing — which increases consumption of high-calorie foods.

What can you do? Whistle for Fido, grab his leash, and start adding daily walks to your regular routine. As you become more active, you’ll find you have more energy and less of a desire to each fatty foods. You’ll also sleep better. And as you know from reading Fit As Fido, good sleep acts like an appetite suppressant, curbing your cravings for high-calorie snacks.

So don’t become a sedentary statistic. Get Fido — get moving — and get Fit As Fido!