The Zack Arnold Podcast The Solution to Your Sedentary Lifestyle | with Ben Greenfield
Movement Over Posture
- Sitting itself isn't the enemy; remaining in any single position for long periods is the problem.
- Movement variety throughout the day is the key to metabolic and musculoskeletal health.
It's Position Variety, Not Sitting Alone
- The harm comes from staying in one position for long stretches, not sitting per se.
- Any prolonged single posture (standing, squatting) can create the same issues as sitting.
Exercise Doesn't Cancel Prolonged Sitting
- Extended sitting raises diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and colon cancer risk and worsens metabolic syndrome.
- These risks persist even if you exercise once daily, so breaking up sitting matters.
It’s no longer news that sitting is bad for us. In fact, it’s common knowledge that sitting has become the new smoking. And hopefully by now after years of me screaming from the rooftops, you now know that standing isn’t much better. Sedentary is the new smoking, not just sitting. The key to better health and sustained energy levels throughout the day is movement. But with a pandemic keeping us all stuck at home, wildfires and poor air quality keeping us trapped indoors, and the world basically going to s*&@, it’s hard to think about getting off the couch or the desk chair, nevermind consistently moving all day long.
In today’s episode I chat with world renowned fitness expert, biohacking guru, and multiple NYT bestselling author Ben Greenfield, whose work has been featured in Men’s Health, The Huffington Post, Shape magazine, NBC, CBS, the Joe Rogan show, and countless other media outlets. Ben is an ex-bodybuilder, Ironman triathlete, Spartan racer, coach, speaker, and New York Times Bestselling author including his latest book Boundless: Upgrade Your Brain, Optimize Your Body, and Defy Aging. In this conversation Ben shares his many unique tools and tips for sneaking movement into your day (no matter how many hours you spend trapped behind a computer). His knowledge and enthusiasm for human performance and human optimization is electrifying, and his simple, no-nonsense approach is accessible from couch potatoes and workstation warriors all the way to professional athletes…and everything in between.
If you’re feeling unmotivated and exhausted by the relentless downturn of the world, this conversation will refuel your energy and give you the spark, the strategies, and the tools you need to bring your body back online and get moving again.
[Disclaimer: This episode is pulled from the Fitness In Post archives as it was one of my most popular episodes (and it was recorded years before there was a pandemic), but the information and inspiration is even more relevant today.]
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Here’s What You’ll Learn:
- How to avoid low back pain that comes from sitting in a chair or standing for long periods of time.
- Ben’s favorite tools to put in your office to encourage movement.
- The most effective way to give yourself an energy boost when you’re tired. HINT: It’s not coffee!
- How Ben stays active on an airplane and how you can apply it to your desk job.
- What is “greasing the groove” and how will it improve your fitness and energy levels?
- Ben’s strategy of setting “fitness rules” to incorporate more movement throughout the day. (This is also how he trained for World’s Toughest Mudder Race)
- Are micro workouts more effective than longer workouts? The results are IN!
- Ben’s workout options for beginner’s starting from square one.
- Why you should be taking cold showers.
- Unique and little known ways to increase brain power and creativity.
- How to use light to hack your energy levels.
Useful Resources Mentioned:
Sitting Is Killing You, But Standing Isn’t the Answer (And Neither Is Exercise)’
FiP Podcast Ep29: Ben Greenfield, All Around Badass
Ep08: Advanced Sleep Technology and Biohacking | with Ben Greenfield
Take Your Standing Workstation to the Next Level with a Topo Mat
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This episode is made possible for you by Ergodriven, the makers of the Topo Mat, my #1 recommendation for anyone who stands at their workstation. The Topo is super comfortable, an awesome conversation starter, and it’s also scientifically proven to help you move more throughout the day which helps reduce discomfort and also increase your focus and productivity. Click here to learn more and get your Topo Mat.
Guest Bio:
Ben Greenfield is human performance consultant, speaker and New York Times bestselling author of 13 books, including the wildly popular titles “Beyond Training” and “Boundless”. A former collegiate tennis, water polo and volleyball player, bodybuilder, 13 time Ironman triathlete and professional obstacle course racer, Ben has been voted by the NSCA as America’s top Personal Trainer and by Greatist as one of the top 100 Most Influential People In Health And Fitness.
A frequent contributor to health and wellness publications and websites and a highly sought after speaker, Ben’s understanding of functional exercise, nutrition, and the delicate balance between performance and health has helped thousands of people around the world achieve their goals and improve their quality of life – from high level CEO’s to soccer moms to professional athletes and beyond.
Ben is an advisor, investor and board member of multiple corporations in the health and fitness industry, and is also the founder of KION, a nutritional supplements company that combines time-honored superfoods with modern science to allow human beings to achieve peak performance, defy aging, and live an adventurous, fulfilling, joyful and limitless life.
Via online, phone, e-mail and in-person consulting, Ben coaches and trains individuals all over the world for health, longevity and performance. He also works with individuals, corporations and teams for body and brain performance enhancement, and specializes in performance, fat loss, digestion, brain, sleep, hormone, anti-aging, parenting, relationships, smart drugs, nootropics and overall wellness for achieving an optimized life.
Ben resides in Spokane, Washington with his wife, Jessa, and twin boys, River and Terran, where he enjoys worshiping God and praising Christ, swinging kettlebells, fiction, guitar, ukulele, spearfishing, bowhunting, plant foraging and cooking.
Show Credits:
This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared by Debby Germino and published by Glen McNiel.
The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).
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