Wellness Wire: Do Even Active Women Sit Too Much?

According to fitness and nutrition expert, Harley Pasternak, women may not be as active as they think. People.com recently posted Pasternak’s latest blog post that created some negative comments from readers. Harley claims that even if women get their recommended 30-60 minutes of exercise daily, such as spinning in the morning, it doesn’t mean they are considered “active” on the doctor’s standards. Pasternak, who has gained fame through his work with celebrities such as Halle Berry, Robert Pattinson, Lady Gaga and Robert Downey, Jr., believes that women who truly want to achieve their dream bodies should move constantly throughout the day… easy to say for someone whose job is working out.

Pasternak says that working women who sit at a desk for 6+ hours a day, or spend the majority of their day watching TV, still may be considered “sedentary” individuals, despite accomplishing the daily recommended minutes of exercise. The expert says that sitting for extending periods of time can undermine the hard work you accomplish at the gym, and potentially harm your health just as much as someone who doesn’t received the recommended doses of exercise.

“We all know that people who sit for extended periods of time are more likely to develop chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers,” Pasternak says. Not only does this include those who don’t exercise, but apparently now it affects those who do.

A study from Northwestern University tested women who even exceeded 150 minutes of exercise per week, but that was only a fraction of the hours they spent awake. Pasternak claims that just because you are physically active doesn’t mean you’re sitting less, thus increasing the risk of acquiring more diseases.

“A few years ago I took off six months from seeing clients and I traveled to the 10 healthiest countries in the world, interested in what made these populations thinner, healthier and live longer. While there were very few dietary factors that overlapped, I did find one common thread that tied all these healthy countries together – they kept moving, constantly, throughout the entire day,” Harley’s blog says. “Moreover, none of these populations were “gym cultures.” They were just people who walked places, rode bicycles, took the stairs, did their own laundry and dishes. Simply put, these were active people!”

So, what gives, Harley? What are some answers for the working men and women of America who have no option but to work in an office for eight hours a day? Do we give up our office time for a few less pounds and some better health? There really is no compromise, or any simple answer.

Most women, and people, in America don’t have the luxury of simply not working or finding another job that allows them to be more active, in which case, Pasternak’s advice cannot be implemented. Comments from readers questioned Pasternak’s claims, and not in the friendliest way. Many women questioned what they should do if they have no other option but to work in an office?
And for that Harley didn’t seem to have an answer.

What do you think: do even active women sit too much?

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