Standing more than sitting may not help you lose much weight, but it can help you maintain your current weight and limit certain health risks. This article examines the effectiveness of this activity as a calorie burner.
What’s The Difference in Calories?
While standing, you burn between 70 and 95 calories an hour, depending on your age, height, and weight. On the other hand, sitting only burns 65 to 85 calories an hour. The difference may not seem significant, but it adds up over time. You can also burn 15 to 30 more calories by swapping 3 hours of sitting for standing.
Why Do You Burn More Calories Standing?
Your body burns more calories when you move, unlike when you’re stationary, e.g., sitting or lying down. When you’re on your feet, you activate your muscle mass, which helps you burn more calories.
Do Your Height and Weight Affect How Many Calories You Burn?
Your metabolism and the number of calories your body requires for essential functions can change based on your height, weight, muscle mass, and age. This means the bigger you are, the more calories your body burns daily for these essential functions.
Your age can also affect how many calories you burn. For example, most people lose muscle as they age, meaning you burn fewer calories if you have less muscle mass.
Other Benefits of Standing Instead of Sitting
In addition to burning calories, standing can also reduce your risk of:
● heart attack
● diabetes
● cancer
● stroke
It can also minimize lordosis, which is the inward curvature of the spine. Furthermore, standing can help you build muscle tone. Not only do specific muscles actively engage when you switch from sitting to standing, they must stay engaged to keep you upright.
How to Add More Standing Time to Your Routine
Here are some ways to stand more in different aspects of your life:
At Work
You can stand more at work by:
● Use a standing desk instead of a sitting desk
● Set a timer to stand for a specific number of minutes every hour
● Stand up while taking a phone call
At Home
These are some routines to help you stand more at home:
● Stand when texting or using the internet on your smartphone
● Take a walk around the house every half hour
● Watch your favorite show while standing
Conclusion
When adding standing to your daily routine, use your judgment to decide how long and how often to stand. If you’re still uncertain, consult your doctor to set a goal tailored to your individual needs.
