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Get Up!: Why Your Chair Is Killing You and What You Can Do About It
From the codirector of the Mayo Clinic / Arizona State University Obesity Solutions Initiative and inventor of the treadmill desk comes a fascinating wake-up call about our sedentary lifestyle.
That the average adult spends 50 to 70 percent of their day sitting is no surprise to anyone who works in an office environment. But few realize the health consequences they are suffering as a result of modernity s increasingly sedentary lifestyle, or the effects it has had on society at large. In "Get Up!," health expert James A. Levine s original scientific research shows that today s chair-based world, where we no longer use our bodies as they evolved to be used, is having negative consequences on our health, and is a leading cause of diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Over the decades, humans have moved from a primarily active lifestyle to one that is largely sedentary, and this change has reshaped every facet of our lives from social interaction to classroom design. Levine shows how to throw off the shackles of inertia and reverse these negative trends through simple changes in our daily lives."
That the average adult spends 50 to 70 percent of their day sitting is no surprise to anyone who works in an office environment. But few realize the health consequences they are suffering as a result of modernity s increasingly sedentary lifestyle, or the effects it has had on society at large. In "Get Up!," health expert James A. Levine s original scientific research shows that today s chair-based world, where we no longer use our bodies as they evolved to be used, is having negative consequences on our health, and is a leading cause of diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Over the decades, humans have moved from a primarily active lifestyle to one that is largely sedentary, and this change has reshaped every facet of our lives from social interaction to classroom design. Levine shows how to throw off the shackles of inertia and reverse these negative trends through simple changes in our daily lives."
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First published July 29, 2014
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About the author
James A. Levine
21 books46 followersBorn and educated in England, James A. Levine is a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic who has worked with impoverished children in the United States and internationally for more than thirty years. He has won more than fifty major awards in science, consulted to numerous governments, and lectures to humanitarian groups around the world. He is the author of the novel The Blue Notebook.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 178 reviews
July 7, 2015
There are some great bits of science and information contained in this book. However, at least half of it is the author's biography. The following is a list of just some of things covered that add almost nothing to the book's subject:
1) How the author cheated on an IQ exam.
2) The author's interest in snails.
3) The author's many trips to foreign countries and various parts of Africa.
4) The author's divorce.
5) The author namedropping Jane Goodall.
6) The author's hiring practices.
I'm not saying it's not interesting to read about, the author clearly is leading a full and interesting life. However, I didn't intend to buy his biography, I wanted to better understand the science he's been conducting.
That being said, there are some interesting things to consider in this book. The most obvious is that human beings should be more active.
The biggest takeaway I got from it though was that just a slight adjustment to your daily schedule to get you out of the chair once in a while makes a big difference. Here are some things I plan to do (some lifted from the book, others inspired by it):
1) Get up from my desk at work as much as possible. If someone comes over to my desk, I'll stand up to talk. Standing and pacing while on phone meetings. Going to use the bathroom on the far side of the building. Just standing and stretching a few times a day.
2) Walk for a few minutes after eating. One turn around the parking lot, up and down a few flights of stairs, etc.
3) Just don't sit if you don't have to. Pay attention to when you sit. I found myself sitting anytime my wife wanted to talk to me, or to play with the kids, and all kinds of other times. If you don't have to sit, don't, it will help.
One final warning, there are dozens of instances where the author states something along the lines of "Obesity rates are going up, the more we sit down." Lots of hinting that sitting is the leading cause of health problems in the world. With so many other factors facing us, this is just not right. Sitting is bad, okay leave it at that. Nutrition, less artificial junk, etc are all things to consider for improving your health, and there seems to be only one instance in the whole book where the author suggests that sitting down is only part of the problem. I get that he's trying to sell us on his book, his branch of science (and his semi-autobiography), but he comes across as narrow-minded in my opinion.
Oh, and get ready to develop a nervous twitch whenever you hear the words "Lethal Sitting", "Chair Sentence" and "The Chair Man". I mean "Lethal Sitting"? Everything is lethal if you do it long enough because you'll eventually die no matter what. BREATHING IS LETHAL! This comes across as a weak form of media hype and the book would be better without any of the above fear-mongering.
1) How the author cheated on an IQ exam.
2) The author's interest in snails.
3) The author's many trips to foreign countries and various parts of Africa.
4) The author's divorce.
5) The author namedropping Jane Goodall.
6) The author's hiring practices.
I'm not saying it's not interesting to read about, the author clearly is leading a full and interesting life. However, I didn't intend to buy his biography, I wanted to better understand the science he's been conducting.
That being said, there are some interesting things to consider in this book. The most obvious is that human beings should be more active.
The biggest takeaway I got from it though was that just a slight adjustment to your daily schedule to get you out of the chair once in a while makes a big difference. Here are some things I plan to do (some lifted from the book, others inspired by it):
1) Get up from my desk at work as much as possible. If someone comes over to my desk, I'll stand up to talk. Standing and pacing while on phone meetings. Going to use the bathroom on the far side of the building. Just standing and stretching a few times a day.
2) Walk for a few minutes after eating. One turn around the parking lot, up and down a few flights of stairs, etc.
3) Just don't sit if you don't have to. Pay attention to when you sit. I found myself sitting anytime my wife wanted to talk to me, or to play with the kids, and all kinds of other times. If you don't have to sit, don't, it will help.
One final warning, there are dozens of instances where the author states something along the lines of "Obesity rates are going up, the more we sit down." Lots of hinting that sitting is the leading cause of health problems in the world. With so many other factors facing us, this is just not right. Sitting is bad, okay leave it at that. Nutrition, less artificial junk, etc are all things to consider for improving your health, and there seems to be only one instance in the whole book where the author suggests that sitting down is only part of the problem. I get that he's trying to sell us on his book, his branch of science (and his semi-autobiography), but he comes across as narrow-minded in my opinion.
Oh, and get ready to develop a nervous twitch whenever you hear the words "Lethal Sitting", "Chair Sentence" and "The Chair Man". I mean "Lethal Sitting"? Everything is lethal if you do it long enough because you'll eventually die no matter what. BREATHING IS LETHAL! This comes across as a weak form of media hype and the book would be better without any of the above fear-mongering.
May 10, 2019
James Levine shares the disastrous consequences of a sedentary lifestyle and has created a clarion call for the modern world.
"When you first contemplate a book about the harm of sitting, you may view it as absurd. How can chairs possibly kill anyone? ... However, this book summarizes 40 years of science — the work of scores of scientists and physicians from around the world. The scientific conclusion is clear: Humans are not designed to sit all day long, from a physiological, medical, creative or psychological perspective." pg 4
This book scared me. Levine provides study after study proving his hypothesis and the results are shocking.
"From birth through death there is a predictable, programmed timetable of movement. We transition from the frenetic nature of childhood, to the organized movement of adulthood, through the stillness of aging." pg 13
But don't worry. The body and mind are more flexible than people realize.
"Because the brain is constantly adapting, it takes about three weeks for brain change to occur. A chairaholic can become a walker in three weeks. But watch out! A walker who begins to sit can just as easily become a chairaholic." pg 46
There are concrete steps you can take to incorporate more movement into your life. The first step is to realize there's a problem.
Next, look for ways to increase your "NEAT" energy. NEAT stands for "non exercise activity thermogenesis". Basically, it means, make an effort to move more during your every day routine — cleaning the house, running after the kids, walking the dog, etc.
That seems to be a key for kicking the sitting problem to the curb. In Levine's studies of urban life compared to agriculture living, that was the difference he noted between the two populations. People living the agriculture lifestyle move all the time. The urban lifestyle... not so much.
"The differences were so large that it staggered us — when you live in an urban setting, even if you are lean, you move half as much as people living in agricultural regions. The decline in calorie burn with urbanization could entirely explain the obesity epidemic worldwide." pg 60
Fear not, urban dwellers. There are solutions to upping your NEAT energy, even if you are required to be at a desk for the majority of the day. One of these, that I invested in the moment I finished reading this book, is the desk treadmill. Another option is the standing desk.
Both of these tools help you move while still getting your job done.
This book contains more helpful suggestions than simply buying new lifestyle equipment. For example, Levine also suggests a leisurely walk after every meal.
"If people sit after a meal, their blood sugar peaks like a mountain for about two hours. If, however, people take a 15-minute walk at 1 mph after a meal, the mountains become safe, gentle, rolling hills. With a 1-mph walk after a meal, blood sugar peaks are halved." pg 68
I think I can manage that.
The line that firmly established Levine's hypothesis in my mind is: "If you see a saber-toothed tiger charging toward you, you don't fire off an email, you get up and run!" pg 81
It's that simple. Humans did not evolve to live the way that we're living. I'm taking steps to change that now. Who's with me?
"When you first contemplate a book about the harm of sitting, you may view it as absurd. How can chairs possibly kill anyone? ... However, this book summarizes 40 years of science — the work of scores of scientists and physicians from around the world. The scientific conclusion is clear: Humans are not designed to sit all day long, from a physiological, medical, creative or psychological perspective." pg 4
This book scared me. Levine provides study after study proving his hypothesis and the results are shocking.
"From birth through death there is a predictable, programmed timetable of movement. We transition from the frenetic nature of childhood, to the organized movement of adulthood, through the stillness of aging." pg 13
But don't worry. The body and mind are more flexible than people realize.
"Because the brain is constantly adapting, it takes about three weeks for brain change to occur. A chairaholic can become a walker in three weeks. But watch out! A walker who begins to sit can just as easily become a chairaholic." pg 46
There are concrete steps you can take to incorporate more movement into your life. The first step is to realize there's a problem.
Next, look for ways to increase your "NEAT" energy. NEAT stands for "non exercise activity thermogenesis". Basically, it means, make an effort to move more during your every day routine — cleaning the house, running after the kids, walking the dog, etc.
That seems to be a key for kicking the sitting problem to the curb. In Levine's studies of urban life compared to agriculture living, that was the difference he noted between the two populations. People living the agriculture lifestyle move all the time. The urban lifestyle... not so much.
"The differences were so large that it staggered us — when you live in an urban setting, even if you are lean, you move half as much as people living in agricultural regions. The decline in calorie burn with urbanization could entirely explain the obesity epidemic worldwide." pg 60
Fear not, urban dwellers. There are solutions to upping your NEAT energy, even if you are required to be at a desk for the majority of the day. One of these, that I invested in the moment I finished reading this book, is the desk treadmill. Another option is the standing desk.
Both of these tools help you move while still getting your job done.
This book contains more helpful suggestions than simply buying new lifestyle equipment. For example, Levine also suggests a leisurely walk after every meal.
"If people sit after a meal, their blood sugar peaks like a mountain for about two hours. If, however, people take a 15-minute walk at 1 mph after a meal, the mountains become safe, gentle, rolling hills. With a 1-mph walk after a meal, blood sugar peaks are halved." pg 68
I think I can manage that.
The line that firmly established Levine's hypothesis in my mind is: "If you see a saber-toothed tiger charging toward you, you don't fire off an email, you get up and run!" pg 81
It's that simple. Humans did not evolve to live the way that we're living. I'm taking steps to change that now. Who's with me?
October 11, 2021
Surprisingly comprehensive book for its size, it covers much more domains of (non)sitting behaviour and their (un)predictable consequences than I could honestly had though of, before reading the book.
In my particular case, I'm going to shamelessly admit that it also completely validates my own lifestyle. Being an owner of a small home gym and various equipment that's in daily use, I somehow managed to get to many, if not all, conclusions stated in this book on my very own. Including the necessity of intermittently "pulsating" (probably different term used in the book) the physical, or any other activity in order to achieve maximum efficiency, and happiness.
What's completely new to me are some very useful concepts, like NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis). The way I understand it, there also seem to be a kind of NEAT switch, that's individual. It's a sort of "thermostat" for surplus of calories (did I get that right?). Those who have it normal setting get up and move around when they eat to much. Those who have it on too high, keep static no matter what.
That explains behaviour on those odd uns I see everyday, that will sometimes seemingly expend energy to avoid energy expenditure. Like, waiting five minutes for an elevator to go one floor above.
There's also very useful (in the sense of being an eye opener) constant reference to how thing were mere decades, or even few years ago in terms of how we as adults and our kids spent their time. It all comes down to the fact that human body AND psyche are just not made to be sitting. Not whole day, not any stretch of time worth mentioning. But we all do it and take it for normal.
It's not. It's deadly, and killing us slowly. And softly, while we're sitting on our fat asses.
In my particular case, I'm going to shamelessly admit that it also completely validates my own lifestyle. Being an owner of a small home gym and various equipment that's in daily use, I somehow managed to get to many, if not all, conclusions stated in this book on my very own. Including the necessity of intermittently "pulsating" (probably different term used in the book) the physical, or any other activity in order to achieve maximum efficiency, and happiness.
What's completely new to me are some very useful concepts, like NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis). The way I understand it, there also seem to be a kind of NEAT switch, that's individual. It's a sort of "thermostat" for surplus of calories (did I get that right?). Those who have it normal setting get up and move around when they eat to much. Those who have it on too high, keep static no matter what.
That explains behaviour on those odd uns I see everyday, that will sometimes seemingly expend energy to avoid energy expenditure. Like, waiting five minutes for an elevator to go one floor above.
There's also very useful (in the sense of being an eye opener) constant reference to how thing were mere decades, or even few years ago in terms of how we as adults and our kids spent their time. It all comes down to the fact that human body AND psyche are just not made to be sitting. Not whole day, not any stretch of time worth mentioning. But we all do it and take it for normal.
It's not. It's deadly, and killing us slowly. And softly, while we're sitting on our fat asses.
Read
September 16, 2021Me before reading this book:
Me after reading this book:
The author’s snail hobby was weird tho, ngl.
Me after reading this book:
The author’s snail hobby was weird tho, ngl.
February 28, 2016
How much do you sit every day? This book might change that. I wouldn't be too far off by saying that this is the most interesting and captivating book I've read in the last few months. And over the next few months I'll be implementing the ideas in my life. Often we consider ourselves fairly active through training 4-6 times a week in the gym but we don't pay much attention to how our other non-exercise activities are affecting our health. Exercising 3-4 times a week in the gym won't change the fact that you're completely sedentary for the rest of the time. You're still going to experience a lot of the negative side-effects of being seated (bad posture, low mental performance, inability to focus just to name the few). This book is a real eye opener to the chair-bound culture we live in today. And it's a book that not just makes a ton of logical sense but also is backed up by the most recent research. Highly recommended, this will be of enormous value to anyone ready to listen.
November 24, 2019
Ponieważ polski podtytuł o tym jak moje krzesło rzekomo mnie zabija brzmi nazbyt alarmistycznie, na początku lektury byłam nastawiona negatywnie do autora. Ile można pisać o wyższości aktywnego trybu życia nad siedzącym? Czego więcej miałabym się dowidzieć i jakie praktyczne porady przeczytać poza tymi, żeby wstawać od biurka i dużo chodzić? Co gorsza, w pewnym momencie lektury zaczęłam podejrzewać, że autor ma zamiar sprzedać mi jakieś super hiper rozsuwane biurko albo proponować samorządom kosztowną przebudowę budynków szkolnych. Takie numery u mnie nie przejdą! Na szczęście James A. Levine zszedł na ziemię i wplótł w książkę masę niskobudżetowych pomysłów na zwiększenie swojej aktywności fizycznej.
Największa wartość książki polega na zwróceniu uwagi na tzw. NEAT (jaki schludny skrót ;)): non-exercise activity thermogenesis - czyli niezwiązane z ćwiczeniami fizycznymi spalanie kalorii. To jest rzecz, która różni osoby przybierające na wadze, od tych, którzy ją utrzymują. Składają się na nią drobne czynności wykonywane w pozycji stojącej lub w trakcie chodzenia, całe to krzątanie, chodzenie z dokumentami od biura do biura, przestępowanie z nogi na nogę na przystanku itp. Niby nic a działa. Pozwala zapobiegać najróżniejszym chorobom cywilizacyjnym, w tym depresji, cukrzycy czy udarom mózgu. Bo rzeczywiście krzesło, fotel, a tym bardziej kanapa to wróg, a wroga trzeba okiełznać i pokonać. Serdecznie polecam!
Największa wartość książki polega na zwróceniu uwagi na tzw. NEAT (jaki schludny skrót ;)): non-exercise activity thermogenesis - czyli niezwiązane z ćwiczeniami fizycznymi spalanie kalorii. To jest rzecz, która różni osoby przybierające na wadze, od tych, którzy ją utrzymują. Składają się na nią drobne czynności wykonywane w pozycji stojącej lub w trakcie chodzenia, całe to krzątanie, chodzenie z dokumentami od biura do biura, przestępowanie z nogi na nogę na przystanku itp. Niby nic a działa. Pozwala zapobiegać najróżniejszym chorobom cywilizacyjnym, w tym depresji, cukrzycy czy udarom mózgu. Bo rzeczywiście krzesło, fotel, a tym bardziej kanapa to wróg, a wroga trzeba okiełznać i pokonać. Serdecznie polecam!
December 13, 2014
In this book the author discusses that while modern technology and industry have made our lives easier in so many ways, they have also wrecked havoc on us biologically. Our human bodies have survived and evolved over eons, running, walking, climbing, bending, all kinds of movement, but not with "sitting". The author wages war against the
chair, and documents numerous research that supports his claims, that for our health and well-being, we have to start including much more movement in our daily lives. While 30 minutes on the treadmill is a start, it is only a start; the author has designed offices where people stand at their desk, and walk around a track while conducting meetings; and schools where lessons are taught on the playground while playing ball. And in all these instances, performance at work or school significantly improved! This book is very convincing, and may leave you finding yourself getting a lot more done around your home, as you look for ways to be on your feet!
I received my copy of this book from LibraryThing.
chair, and documents numerous research that supports his claims, that for our health and well-being, we have to start including much more movement in our daily lives. While 30 minutes on the treadmill is a start, it is only a start; the author has designed offices where people stand at their desk, and walk around a track while conducting meetings; and schools where lessons are taught on the playground while playing ball. And in all these instances, performance at work or school significantly improved! This book is very convincing, and may leave you finding yourself getting a lot more done around your home, as you look for ways to be on your feet!
I received my copy of this book from LibraryThing.
June 11, 2025
(The English review is placed beneath the Russian one)
Я бы предложил рассматривать эту книгу больше в качестве мотиватора нежели в качестве обычной книги по самопомощи. Впрочем, это изначально понятно, что написать полноценную книгу на заданную тему фокусируясь только на научных исследованиях и на рекомендациях читателям, довольно трудно, а возможно и просто невозможно. Я хочу сказать, что половину текста можно спокойно удалить из книги и книга от этого ничего не потеряет, а даже станет наоборот более короткой и информационной сжатой. Сказав это, я должен так же сказать, что последнюю четверть книги я не дослушал именно по той причине, что основную идею автора я понял. Впрочем, основная идея автора – сидячий образ жизни крайне вреден – понятна даже без чтения этой книги. Тем не менее, как я сказал в самом начале, некоторым людям нужен именно мотиватор, т.е. что-то, что подтолкнёт их к смене образа жизни, т.е. отказа или сокращения практики сидеть половину дневного и вечернего дня. Лично мне такой мотиватор и был нужен, поэтому возможно это и стало той причиной, почему я поставил довольно высокую оценку такой книге, особенно учитывая, что я не являюсь любителем книг по самопомощи.
Я не буду рассказывать суть всей книги, т.к. она понятна уже из названия, но отмечу один очень интересный для меня факт или момент в книге. Автор пишет, что окружения влияет на мозг, т.е. наше физическое окружение способно изменять наш мозг. Это давно известный факт, однако, он так же применим и к нашей теме. Как пишет автор, когда человек начинает всё больше и больше сидеть, у него появляется, условно говоря, «сидячий мозг», который, в свою очередь, стимулирует человека всё больше и больше вести сидячий образ жизни. Мы все знаем, как это выглядит: из дома на машине (или на общественном транспорте) на работу, с работы на машине домой, где мы опять же, принимаем сидячее положение на весь оставшийся день (далее, мы ложимся спать). Как я понял из книги, не только физические болезни появляются у человека в связи с таким сидячим образом жизни, то этот образ жизни так же влияет на его ментальную составляющую, т.е. на мозг. В итоге сидячий образ не только засасывает человека в круговорот сидячего образа жизни, из-за человек стремится всё больше и чаще сидеть, но и наносит урон и его физическому здоровью и ментальному.
Конечно, автор приводит разнообразные эксперименты связанные с опасностью сидячего образа жизни, а так же пишет о проблеме сидячего образа жизни в контексте офисной работы, а так же в контексте того как устроены современные школы (которые уже с детства развивают в детях сидячий образ жизни), а так же предлагает пути решения этого культурного явления как в школе так и в офисе, однако это заинтересует не всех, по крайне мере мне это было читать скучно. Основная идея понятна и основная задача этой книги, лично для меня, стала её мотивирующая роль, с которой книга великолепно справилась. Я не буду перечислять все те болезни, к которым ведёт сидячий образ жизни (почти все самые «популярные» болезни современности), ибо это и так очевидно. В общем, неплохая книга, но как всякая такая литература, может понравиться не всем в виду её очевидности.
I would suggest that this book should be considered more as a motivator than as a conventional self-help book. However, it is clear from the beginning that writing a full-fledged book on a given topic, focusing only on scientific research and recommendations to readers is quite difficult and perhaps simply impossible. I want to say that half of the text can be removed from the book. Having said that, I should also say that I did not listen to the last quarter of the book for the very reason that I understood the main idea of the author. However, the main idea of the author - a sedentary lifestyle is extremely harmful - is clear even without reading this book. Nevertheless, as I said in the beginning, some people need a motivator, i.e., something that will push them to change their lifestyle, i.e., to give up or reduce the practice of sitting for half of the day and evening. Personally, I needed such a motivator, so maybe that's the reason why I gave this book a pretty high rating, especially since I'm not a fan of self-help books.
I don't want to tell the whole essence of the book, as it is already clear from the title, but I note one very interesting fact or moment in the book. The author writes that the environment affects the brain, i.e., our physical environment can change our brain. This is a long-known fact, however, it is also applied to our topic. As the author writes, when a person starts to sit more and more, he/she has, conditionally speaking, a “sedentary brain”, which, in turn, stimulates a person to lead a sedentary lifestyle more and more. We all know what it looks like: from home by car (or public transportation) to work, from work by car to home, where we again take a sitting position for the rest of the day (further, we go to bed). As I realized from the book, not only do physical diseases appear in a person due to this sedentary lifestyle, but this lifestyle also affects his mental component, i.e., the brain. As a result, the sedentary lifestyle not only sucks a person into the cycle of a sedentary lifestyle because of the person's tendency to sit more and more often but also damages both his physical and mental health.
Of course, the author cites various experiments related to the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle as well as writes about the problem of a sedentary lifestyle in the context of office work, as well as in the context of how modern schools (which from childhood developed in children a sedentary lifestyle), as well as offers ways to solve this cultural phenomenon both at school and in the office, but not everyone will be interested, at least it was boring for me to read. The main idea is clear, and the main task of this book, for me personally, was its motivational role, which the book coped with perfectly. I will not list all the diseases that a sedentary lifestyle leads to (almost all the most “popular” diseases of our time) because it is so obvious. In general, it is not a bad book, but as with any such literature, not everyone may like it because of its obviousness.
Я бы предложил рассматривать эту книгу больше в качестве мотиватора нежели в качестве обычной книги по самопомощи. Впрочем, это изначально понятно, что написать полноценную книгу на заданную тему фокусируясь только на научных исследованиях и на рекомендациях читателям, довольно трудно, а возможно и просто невозможно. Я хочу сказать, что половину текста можно спокойно удалить из книги и книга от этого ничего не потеряет, а даже станет наоборот более короткой и информационной сжатой. Сказав это, я должен так же сказать, что последнюю четверть книги я не дослушал именно по той причине, что основную идею автора я понял. Впрочем, основная идея автора – сидячий образ жизни крайне вреден – понятна даже без чтения этой книги. Тем не менее, как я сказал в самом начале, некоторым людям нужен именно мотиватор, т.е. что-то, что подтолкнёт их к смене образа жизни, т.е. отказа или сокращения практики сидеть половину дневного и вечернего дня. Лично мне такой мотиватор и был нужен, поэтому возможно это и стало той причиной, почему я поставил довольно высокую оценку такой книге, особенно учитывая, что я не являюсь любителем книг по самопомощи.
Я не буду рассказывать суть всей книги, т.к. она понятна уже из названия, но отмечу один очень интересный для меня факт или момент в книге. Автор пишет, что окружения влияет на мозг, т.е. наше физическое окружение способно изменять наш мозг. Это давно известный факт, однако, он так же применим и к нашей теме. Как пишет автор, когда человек начинает всё больше и больше сидеть, у него появляется, условно говоря, «сидячий мозг», который, в свою очередь, стимулирует человека всё больше и больше вести сидячий образ жизни. Мы все знаем, как это выглядит: из дома на машине (или на общественном транспорте) на работу, с работы на машине домой, где мы опять же, принимаем сидячее положение на весь оставшийся день (далее, мы ложимся спать). Как я понял из книги, не только физические болезни появляются у человека в связи с таким сидячим образом жизни, то этот образ жизни так же влияет на его ментальную составляющую, т.е. на мозг. В итоге сидячий образ не только засасывает человека в круговорот сидячего образа жизни, из-за человек стремится всё больше и чаще сидеть, но и наносит урон и его физическому здоровью и ментальному.
Конечно, автор приводит разнообразные эксперименты связанные с опасностью сидячего образа жизни, а так же пишет о проблеме сидячего образа жизни в контексте офисной работы, а так же в контексте того как устроены современные школы (которые уже с детства развивают в детях сидячий образ жизни), а так же предлагает пути решения этого культурного явления как в школе так и в офисе, однако это заинтересует не всех, по крайне мере мне это было читать скучно. Основная идея понятна и основная задача этой книги, лично для меня, стала её мотивирующая роль, с которой книга великолепно справилась. Я не буду перечислять все те болезни, к которым ведёт сидячий образ жизни (почти все самые «популярные» болезни современности), ибо это и так очевидно. В общем, неплохая книга, но как всякая такая литература, может понравиться не всем в виду её очевидности.
I would suggest that this book should be considered more as a motivator than as a conventional self-help book. However, it is clear from the beginning that writing a full-fledged book on a given topic, focusing only on scientific research and recommendations to readers is quite difficult and perhaps simply impossible. I want to say that half of the text can be removed from the book. Having said that, I should also say that I did not listen to the last quarter of the book for the very reason that I understood the main idea of the author. However, the main idea of the author - a sedentary lifestyle is extremely harmful - is clear even without reading this book. Nevertheless, as I said in the beginning, some people need a motivator, i.e., something that will push them to change their lifestyle, i.e., to give up or reduce the practice of sitting for half of the day and evening. Personally, I needed such a motivator, so maybe that's the reason why I gave this book a pretty high rating, especially since I'm not a fan of self-help books.
I don't want to tell the whole essence of the book, as it is already clear from the title, but I note one very interesting fact or moment in the book. The author writes that the environment affects the brain, i.e., our physical environment can change our brain. This is a long-known fact, however, it is also applied to our topic. As the author writes, when a person starts to sit more and more, he/she has, conditionally speaking, a “sedentary brain”, which, in turn, stimulates a person to lead a sedentary lifestyle more and more. We all know what it looks like: from home by car (or public transportation) to work, from work by car to home, where we again take a sitting position for the rest of the day (further, we go to bed). As I realized from the book, not only do physical diseases appear in a person due to this sedentary lifestyle, but this lifestyle also affects his mental component, i.e., the brain. As a result, the sedentary lifestyle not only sucks a person into the cycle of a sedentary lifestyle because of the person's tendency to sit more and more often but also damages both his physical and mental health.
Of course, the author cites various experiments related to the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle as well as writes about the problem of a sedentary lifestyle in the context of office work, as well as in the context of how modern schools (which from childhood developed in children a sedentary lifestyle), as well as offers ways to solve this cultural phenomenon both at school and in the office, but not everyone will be interested, at least it was boring for me to read. The main idea is clear, and the main task of this book, for me personally, was its motivational role, which the book coped with perfectly. I will not list all the diseases that a sedentary lifestyle leads to (almost all the most “popular” diseases of our time) because it is so obvious. In general, it is not a bad book, but as with any such literature, not everyone may like it because of its obviousness.
January 22, 2021
Anyone who can take 40 years of research on obesity and work in pond snails, summer camps, and magic underwear definitely deserves commendation. But to be truthful, my very favorite thing about this book is that I feel like the life changes he suggests are more possible than many others, and I appreciate someone who can suggest change while making you smile.
September 5, 2016
This book was very informative about how the increased sedentary lifestyle in the West has affected our health and well being, but unfortunately is a little short on specific solutions for individuals (other than the obvious "get the (bleep) up!"). While his stories of the large programs he facilitated in offices and schools were really interesting, they don't give me, the individual, much to work with to facilitate change in my own life. The author seems to want everyone to become an advocate for change in their homes and offices. and expects his readers to suggest walk and talk meetings at work and family walks. This is all fine and good, but I was hoping for more specifics on how to make incremental changes in my own life, and how much non-sitting I should be working toward. I'm actually pretty lucky in that my current job (part-time) is mostly done standing and walking, but I know I could and should be doing better in my personal time. This book has certainly convinced me of that, but I don't feel it has given me a lot of ideas on how to make it happen, so I guess I'll just have to figure it out on my own. Which isn't really a bad thing, come to think of it.
July 12, 2021
There are some books you should read because they will program you to be healthier. This is one of those books.
James A. Levine's book is obsessive, circular, and surprisingly deep.
I spent a stupid amount of time in my twenties sitting for my job. In my thirties I had to spend a good deal of money fixing my back. I remember thinking, "I can't believe I'm going through this at such a young age." It took years to undo the damage. If you talk to any physical therapist or personal trainer they'll tell you stories like mine are not unique.
This book explained exactly why I developed UCS and other health ailments. It also described a number of ways to make sure the same thing would never happen again.
I bought myself a standing desk right after I started listening to this book. I love it. It's changed my life.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to improve their quality of life.
James A. Levine's book is obsessive, circular, and surprisingly deep.
I spent a stupid amount of time in my twenties sitting for my job. In my thirties I had to spend a good deal of money fixing my back. I remember thinking, "I can't believe I'm going through this at such a young age." It took years to undo the damage. If you talk to any physical therapist or personal trainer they'll tell you stories like mine are not unique.
This book explained exactly why I developed UCS and other health ailments. It also described a number of ways to make sure the same thing would never happen again.
I bought myself a standing desk right after I started listening to this book. I love it. It's changed my life.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to improve their quality of life.
March 9, 2022
HIGHLIGHTS:
1. Brain change can happen in three weeks.
2. "Move it" chemical.
3. Modern living vs. natural moving of bodies.
4. Chair sloth makes brain sedentary.
5. Move after eating to circulate blood sugar.
- Walk 15 min.
6. Nitricide - death caused by poor nutrition.
7. People in motion are happy.
8. Adults don't play, they email.
1. Brain change can happen in three weeks.
2. "Move it" chemical.
3. Modern living vs. natural moving of bodies.
4. Chair sloth makes brain sedentary.
5. Move after eating to circulate blood sugar.
- Walk 15 min.
6. Nitricide - death caused by poor nutrition.
7. People in motion are happy.
8. Adults don't play, they email.
April 9, 2015
an indictment of the office chair/lazy boy recliner. The most shocking part of this book, from our current perspective is how long it took for his research to be accepted in mainstream - as it starting to now. His first studies, at the Mayo clinic, were in the early 2000s...but nobody wanted to believe the data.
He is inventor of multiple activity-tracking devices (Grove--Nike fitness watch input) and the treadmill desk.
He shows us the impact of his work on the office and schools, where real life changes ended up improving learning and office happiness = better results in testing and productivity.
quick and easy read. Most important point -- not sitting after meals and learning to fidget---not sit long periods of time.
He is inventor of multiple activity-tracking devices (Grove--Nike fitness watch input) and the treadmill desk.
He shows us the impact of his work on the office and schools, where real life changes ended up improving learning and office happiness = better results in testing and productivity.
quick and easy read. Most important point -- not sitting after meals and learning to fidget---not sit long periods of time.
December 30, 2020
I loved most everything about “Get Up.” The information was presented with a wonderful dry humor throughout. I am so totally moved by this book that I have increased my total out of chair time substantially each day.
Some of the more notable quotes/messages for me:
“People were not designed to sit in chairs all day, any more than we were designed to eat all day.”
“Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV, and is more treacherous than parachuting.”
“We are sitting ourselves to death.”
If you sit after eating you don’t use the insulin your pancreas shot out into your muscles, and so it gets stored as fat and you get diabetes.
If you take a 15 min. 1 MPH walk after every meal, you will NOT GET DIABETES.
Sitters die sooner. For every hour you sit, you die 2 hours sooner.
The only thing I didn’t like about the book was how in the first chapter or two he spent an inordinate amount of time trying to promote that the theory of evolution decided everything about us. It was way overkill, but since he convinced me in the rest of the book to take action against too much sitting, and presented the science of it in an entertaining way, I still give it 5 stars.
Some of the more notable quotes/messages for me:
“People were not designed to sit in chairs all day, any more than we were designed to eat all day.”
“Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV, and is more treacherous than parachuting.”
“We are sitting ourselves to death.”
If you sit after eating you don’t use the insulin your pancreas shot out into your muscles, and so it gets stored as fat and you get diabetes.
If you take a 15 min. 1 MPH walk after every meal, you will NOT GET DIABETES.
Sitters die sooner. For every hour you sit, you die 2 hours sooner.
The only thing I didn’t like about the book was how in the first chapter or two he spent an inordinate amount of time trying to promote that the theory of evolution decided everything about us. It was way overkill, but since he convinced me in the rest of the book to take action against too much sitting, and presented the science of it in an entertaining way, I still give it 5 stars.
November 21, 2019
Ta książka utwierdziła mnie w przekonaniu że mój instynkt dobrze działa. Dzięki dobrociom technologicznym w postaci smartphonea który liczy zrobione przeze mnie kroki od kilku lat dokładnie wiem ile zrobię kroków danego dnia. W dni kiedy mam na liczniku mniej niż 10 tysięcy kroków czuje się po prostu źle. W dni kiedy zrobię 25 tysięcy kroków, a jest ich niestety zbyt mało, czuje się wyśmienicie. Autor książki jest światowym ekspertem od nauki związanej z ruszaniem się, siedzeniem. Jego wieloletnie badania potwierdzają iż stara mądrość ludowa: ruch to zdrowie, jest naprawdę ważną mądrością, a przeciwieństwo ruchu czyli siedzenie jest śmiertelne, bardziej śmiertelne niż palenie papierosów.
To bardzo dobra i ważna książka.
To bardzo dobra i ważna książka.
July 18, 2017
I listened to this on audio during walks, which was good; the author asks at several points if you are still sitting in your chair and I honestly could answer "no!" This book was interesting and was far more than what I expected. I thought it would be common sense stuff, but instead, I got a history of how we evolved to a sedentary lifestyle, some interesting info on the author's research lab and studies, empirical evidence and some suggestions. While some things are difficult to change (my work culture will not allow for some of the techniques, such as treadmill desks), this book got my thinking and looking for ideas that I can apply to increase my levels of movement.
April 28, 2022
Ok, so: he makes good points. I was more active after reading. I printed out photos of active, happy people. Etc.
He has really funny, pithy lines. Sometimes these are undermined by evangelism or even meanness. Like: I get it. He’s The Godfather of Sitting is Worse Than Smoking. But … honey gets more bees.
That note aside, I think ever CEO/COO needs to read and implement some part of these ideas at work (and school, but …)
He has really funny, pithy lines. Sometimes these are undermined by evangelism or even meanness. Like: I get it. He’s The Godfather of Sitting is Worse Than Smoking. But … honey gets more bees.
That note aside, I think ever CEO/COO needs to read and implement some part of these ideas at work (and school, but …)
April 23, 2018
It wasn't worth it to read the whole book, but I thought it was interesting that sitting down can make your mind sluggish too.
October 1, 2018
You would think by the title of the book that the rest would be unnecessary, but the pages are filled with helpful insights how to accomplish what is needed to change long held habits.
June 27, 2019
This book was a lot more interesting than I expected it to be. (Audiobook)
March 30, 2021
Pretty interesting.
January 27, 2020
An interesting read. Dr Levine's human studies are revolutionary and very important. He writes in a compelling way but the amount of practical advice in the book is lacking.
December 7, 2017
I'm not sure why this book is so widely recommended, but this author is so rude. He gives names like Micro-brain and Tiny-brain. He also assigned a name, Dr. Fartoobusy, to a person who sort of refused to see him for his experience. Instead of giving these names, it could be silently removed from the chapters.
This book is more like bragging his person experiment while the result is rather questioning. Taking the example of building the perfect workplace environment, does standing at work really give a better result than sitting?? I'm sure you can list from A-Z for all diseases for standing 8 hours a day at work. Maybe it is because the majority of people sit for work that this book sort of caught the attention(?) But think about it, do you really prefer standing 8-hours a day for work? I know I don't. My feet won't take it. A better solution for me is going for a walk between hours to maintain a better body status.
Another thing about changing the way commuting to work. My house to workplace requires 30min of busing + 1 hour of train. That's 3-HOURS in total back and forth on the commuting. Have fun walking for people that have the luxury of time i guess. (Btw, i do stand on the train for the whole 1 hour coz there's no seat. That might be one of the reasons why I'm absolutely against standing while at work!)
Anyways, this book is definitely not worth the buy. I just borrowed it from the library and read it coz i was bored on the transit.
This book is more like bragging his person experiment while the result is rather questioning. Taking the example of building the perfect workplace environment, does standing at work really give a better result than sitting?? I'm sure you can list from A-Z for all diseases for standing 8 hours a day at work. Maybe it is because the majority of people sit for work that this book sort of caught the attention(?) But think about it, do you really prefer standing 8-hours a day for work? I know I don't. My feet won't take it. A better solution for me is going for a walk between hours to maintain a better body status.
Another thing about changing the way commuting to work. My house to workplace requires 30min of busing + 1 hour of train. That's 3-HOURS in total back and forth on the commuting. Have fun walking for people that have the luxury of time i guess. (Btw, i do stand on the train for the whole 1 hour coz there's no seat. That might be one of the reasons why I'm absolutely against standing while at work!)
Anyways, this book is definitely not worth the buy. I just borrowed it from the library and read it coz i was bored on the transit.
June 29, 2015
There was some interesting stuff in here. I could do without the sensationalist tone (if walking for 15 minutes at 1mph right after eating could drastically reduce someone's susceptibility to diabetes, don't make up a fictional villain called The Chairman, lead with the preventing diabetes stuff). Also, the book could have included more tips about how to reduce chair-time and resources for people who want to do so but face institutional obstacles (if your work requires evidence in order to get you a standing desk, for example, it would have been very helpful for Levine to list a couple reputable studies that people could point to). All in all, I would guess that if you pick up this book and don't set it right back down, you probably already agree with the premise enough that you could skip a good chunk of the book, since a lot of it is pretty basic stuff. Then again, I may just be the wrong audience.
October 31, 2015
Did you know sitting in a chair for long periods of time is not healthy? And here I was, trying to bodybuild by eating pizza and playing Counter-Strike...
The book is somewhat obvious from start to finish and the constant chair bashing doesn't help. It reads almost like a story since the author includes unnnecessary details about his life, hiring staff, flying to meet some people etc. Even though the book is not long, I would prefer it more concise.
There are some interesting stories about improving productivity and happiness by using treadmill desks and I also liked the part about redesigning classrooms which sounds like a really good idea.
If you are considering a standing or treadmill desk and can borrow this book from a library then I think it's just the book for you :) Otherwise it's ok and may motivate you to sit a little less but when you decide to read it I think you are already motivated.
The book is somewhat obvious from start to finish and the constant chair bashing doesn't help. It reads almost like a story since the author includes unnnecessary details about his life, hiring staff, flying to meet some people etc. Even though the book is not long, I would prefer it more concise.
There are some interesting stories about improving productivity and happiness by using treadmill desks and I also liked the part about redesigning classrooms which sounds like a really good idea.
If you are considering a standing or treadmill desk and can borrow this book from a library then I think it's just the book for you :) Otherwise it's ok and may motivate you to sit a little less but when you decide to read it I think you are already motivated.
February 12, 2015
Three stars is NOT a bad review in my definition of three stars. It generally means I'm not widely recommending the book but I am glad I read it. And I am glad I listened to this one. I will change my behavior on the basis of what I learned--and I may even buy a treadmill desk! We shall see. I know I have always HATED to have to sit and stay seated for long periods, but activities I love have always required sitting, until now. I like to listen to books mostly because that's the only way I can "read" while active. I hope now I can read books to myself (my preferred method) while walking at a pretty slow (for me) pace on a treadmill. I'll also see if I can write and edit my audio files (I record books for Librivox.com) while treading. Happy I stumbled across this on Audible.com's Daily Deals page!
December 31, 2014
Read as far too anecdotal to me. I think this is a consequence of the entire thing being written in the first person. I didn't particularly care for that in a work of nonfiction that isn't supposed to be memoir. I read this looking for facts, but they were packed in with a lot of fluff and, when presented, were overly generalized. I like to be given the facts so that I can interpret them myself, but Levine seemed to skip over the hard science in order to present to us his own interpretations instead. I guess this just wasn't what I was looking for...
April 30, 2016
Yes, I get it, we, who work at our desks, sit too much. We should stand more but one thing books like this never talk about is that standing all day usually only happens in difficult manual labour jobs. Anyone who has worked in manual labour will tell you that's just as likely to slowly kill you as sitting all day. I hope the next book I read on the subject talks about the TRUE balance that is needed and the reality that those jobs just don't exist for the majority of the world.
May 9, 2017
Man, fucking chairs. Now I hate them. I was surprised to see a 7.5 hour book about how bad chairs are, but most of the book is interesting and worth listening to. About the last 20% gets a bit tediously self-helpy, talking about motivational strategies and stuff that I've heard covered better elsewhere. But on the topic of chairs, offices, and schools, Levine is passionate.
July 12, 2019
Audiobook. Loved this book! Very informative, innovative, and motivating. This is the person who made the first treadmill desk, more active school, etc. My biggest takeaway---fidgeting can burn over 300 calories a day and burn 32 lbs a year. Join me in fidgeting all day long !
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