‘‘Sitting is the new smoking’. A popular slogan. According to several scientists, long lasting sitting – for example at the office – brings about just as many risks as smoking. This long lasting sitting increases the chances on diabetes, heart and vascular diseases, but also mental health risks such as depression and burnout (TNO, 2013). On top of that, sitting for a long period of time is a risk factor for premature deaths. And considering the Dutch are European Champions for Sitting, according to the Sports Rapport (2015, p.193) it is about time to do something about it.
By exercising more we break through the current sitting pattern and we improve our health. This can be done in different ways: walking or cycling to work, playing a game of soccer or a bootcamp during lunch break, a class of yoga or a visit to the gym to relax after a long day of work… By choosing the activities that you enjoy you can set up your own ‘exercise menu’. Such an exercise menu consists of, for example, a bit of strength building, a bit of cardio and a bit of flexibility. Also the improvement of coordination and balance, relaxation and the measuring of results are part of a healthy exercise menu. Every aspect has its own advantages, and the combination of these ensures an optimal vitality. Some sports even combine several aspects within one training: bootcamp consists of both cardio as strength building and yoga ensures flexibility, relaxation and balance.
The Get Fit Cargo Bike offers all sorts of free exercise activities during the summer months, simply within your lunch break. By using different locations on the Utrecht Science Park you don’t even have to drag yourself to the gym after a long day of work, but you can easily make use of the different activities near your work. Have a look in the calendar to see which activity is planned today, and gather your exercise menu together!
Cardio
Strength training
Flexibility
Healthy mind
Focus
The numbers tell the tale