Stand up and go for a walk...

The other day, I drove past a road construction crew. They were putting out traffic cones and getting the job done quickly. It occured to me just how different their work lives are from mine in terms of physical activity. The heaviest weight I lift while working is a 12 oz. Coke can. I definitely live a sedentary life!

It's my guess that most writers tend to spend too much time moving only their fingers while the rest of them rots in place. I think we all know how dangerous a sedentary lifestyle can be, but just to drive the point home, look at some of the results from a recent study from researchers at the University of Hong Kong:

"The results are fascinating: 20% of all deaths of people 35 and older were attributed to a lack of physical activity. That's more deaths than can be attributed to smoking. Looking at specific diseases, the risk of dying from cancer increased 45% for men and 28% for women due to lack of physical activity. The risk of dying from respiratory ailments was 92% higher for men and 75% higher for women. The risk of dying from heart disease was 52% higher for men and 28% higher for women, all due to a lack of physical activity. It turns out that being a couch potato can kill you, literally. "

Do you get up and about enough? I certainly do not. It's an occupational hazard. The physically active guys on the road crew have to dodge traffic. My risk comes from lack of movement, not careless drivers.

If you happen to be a writer who spends too much time in one place, take a second right now to stand up and move around. Go for a walk or something. Seriously.