Many times we can take a day off from our exercise routine, but sometimes this day turns into a week off, and then a month off. However, the solution is to simply restart our exercise routine as if nothing had happened, right?
Well, according to new research by the University of Liverpool, this may not be so straightforward. Skipping two continuous weeks of exercise can significantly increase your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and even premature death.
If you are one of those who considers that this is not your case because you have just turned 20 and your body is invincible, you may end up discovering that you were wrong.
What happens when we stop exercising?
The research was carried out with 28 participants with an average age of 25 years and who were in perfect health. All study subjects walked a total of 10,000 steps a day prior to the start of the study and had a body mass index of 25% (which is right on the edge of what is considered “normal” weight and overweight).
When the researchers reduced the activity of the study subjects by almost 80%; that is, from 10,000 steps a day to around 1,500, they were able to detect significant changes in their bodies. After two weeks, the participants lost muscle mass and gained body weight.
Even more interesting is that this body weight tends to accumulate near the midsection of the body, which is usually a more reliable indicator of chronic disease than the body fat index. Even the subjects could not travel as much distance or with the same intensity as before.
What are the health effects of stopping exercise?
Other changes recorded by the scientists were unexpected. For example, a decrease in insulin sensitivity and an increase in fat accumulated in the liver of the participants were detected, which is an indication of a higher risk of developing conditions such as obesity, diabetes or heart disease.
On the other hand, there was also an increase in the level of triglycerides, a component of cholesterol that can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke when it accumulates in the arteries.
How dangerous is it to stop exercising altogether?
Although the changes were not extreme, they were significant enough to trigger the alarms. “We thought we would notice subtle changes,” commented one of the study’s authors, Dan Cuthbertson; “But when all the variables that are studied get so bad and in such a short time, including risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, it is really surprising.”
The good news is that all of these changes are fully reversible, as long as we return to our normal level of activity. “It’s okay to take a two-week break from an exercise routine,” explains the expert, “but it is always important to return to it eventually, which happens very rarely, so these effects could add up.”
This news is not particularly encouraging for the new generation of workers, who often spend at least 10 hours a day at rest during their office activities. In the past, at least 50% of workers performed physically active functions, while today this number has dropped to 20%.
Conclution
Cuthbertson explains that it is not necessary to become an exercise addict to avoid falling into these negative indicators, it is simply required to stop spending so many hours sitting while it is necessary to work on accumulating daily steps.
Stop being so sedentary is a good start to generate positive changes. The learning from this is that a little of something is better than nothing. You can initiate these changes by requesting a desk that allows you to stand up at work, for example, or instead of having a third cup of coffee to reactivate the body, go for a walk.
References
- Krueger H. This Is What Happens to Your Body When You’re Sedentary for Two Weeks. For Livestrong [Revised August 2017]
