Flip Your Switch

“We lose two hours of life for every hour we sit,” according to Dr. James Levine, who is ‘dead serious about his claims that sitting is worse than smoking.’ His new book, “Get Up!” is a jovial tale of how he came to the scientific conclusion that our chairs are killing us.

Dr Levine describes sitting as the new smoking; in fact, he says, sitting may be worse. Mary Macvean who featured Levine’s new book in a Los Angeles Times article claims “it may be a bit snarky and perhaps a none-too-subtle dig at those of us who spend a lot of time on our rear ends for work and pleasure.” Still, it seems that there is no denying his claims – or the scientific evidence to back it.

Levine, director of the Mayo Clinic-Arizona State University Obesity Solutions Initiative and inventor of the treadmill desk says that “sitting all day is not natural and to blame for ailments, including obesity.”

He also believes that by perpetual sitting, we are not fulfilling our intended purpose – which is to move and be active. His suggestion is to stop the threat and move more.

For those already leading an active lifestyle – this is not a problem. Levine suggests however, if you don’t have an internal switch that motivates you to get up; you may remain sitting in response to overfeeding and are predisposed to obesity.

On the other hand, for those with the propensity to “turn it on” after over-eating; those folks are compelled to move in response to the extra energy they have received, keeping the extra calories from turning into unwanted pounds.

Levine stays optimistic and believes that the revolution to overthrow sitting is at hand. The implementation of ‘dynamic offices with walking paths from department to department, active senior centers and classrooms,’ he believes will lead to ‘healthier and happier people.’

“The cool companies with cool executives are not driving BMWs, they’re on treadmills,” he says.

“This is about hardcore productivity. You will make money if your workforce gets up and gets moving. Your kids will get better grades if they get up and get moving,” he says. “The science is not refuted.”

Levine puts the dangers simply: “sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV and is more treacherous than parachuting. We are sitting ourselves to death.”

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