Holidays over?

We will soon see all the familiar faces back as you return from your holidays.  We went away last weekend and took our kit in our bags – and there it stayed!  The gin might have had something to do with that!

We know that some of you will feel quite unfit when you get back.  Different (more) food, less activity and the odd drink or two all go together to make it imperative that we get back to the gym.

And its not all in the mind.  Research carried out by the University of Liverpool, published in June showed the results of what happened when volunteers were told to stop moving.  Previously fit students were told to cut their daily steps to below 2000 a day and to sit for at least 3 ½ hours a day.  They did this for two weeks. 

After 2 weeks blood tests showed raised blood sugar levels, decreased insulin sensitivity and  less healthy cholesterol profiles.  They has also lost muscle mass in legs and gained fat round their abdomens.  It really does happen ! Happily, most quickly returned to their normal base line when they started to go back to their 10,000 steps a day and normal activity levels.  The same experiment on older people (over 65) showed similar results but a slower return to normal levels.

So, two weeks does make a difference, for the most part reversible, but the next time your activity tracker tells you to move – remember – its doing you a favour !