There are many elements that play a role in determining our health and longevity including lifestyle, genetic and environmental factors. Some of these factors are out of our control which makes the ones that we can control crucial.
According to the World Health Organization, lifestyle factors play a large role in our overall health and quality of life; about 60% in fact [1]. The two major components of lifestyle are diet and activity. Choosing foods low in nutritional value along with being sedentary can make you more susceptible to diseases, disability and even a shorter lifespan.
Diet is one of the number one lifestyle factors that impacts our health with activity coming in at a close second. With obesity skyrocketing, it is more important now more than ever to make positive changes where you can, especially if you are unable to incorporate activity into your routine due to a disability or injury.
Your lifestyle affects the amount of nutrients you need as well as how efficient your body can utilize them. Knowing where you land on the spectrum of diet and activity can help you to adjust your habits to ensure you maintain proper health. Let’s take a look at the differences between these two lifestyles and how they affect your nutritional needs.
Sedentary Lifestyle
A sedentary lifestyle simply means you spend most of your time sitting versus getting up and moving around. This could be a result of a sedentary job such as office work, a disability or simply the lack of desire to get up and move.
Nutrition Considerations
If you are not moving much, you are not expending a lot of energy. This means, you likely do not need as many calories as someone who moves a lot. Calorie intake will vary from person to person depending on your age, height, weight and many other factors aside from just activity level. Because of this, it is not recommended to follow any set calorie range unless otherwise recommended by a Registered Dietitian.
You may not need as many calories to give you energy if you aren’t very active, but you still need to ensure you are getting enough nutrients without overeating. To achieve a healthy balance of nutrients without additional calories, you want to choose nutrient dense foods that provide the most bang for your buck. This would include a diet high in a variety of fruits and vegetables which are low in calories but rich in essential vitamins and minerals. Choose lean meats such as chicken, turkey, fish or lean cuts of beef as well as low fat dairy products.
A diet rich in fiber will help to ensure a healthy gut as well as keep you feeling full during meals to avoid overeating. With low activity levels our digestive system will slow down and not work as efficiently which can result in bloating and constipation. Choose high fiber foods such as whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds along with your fruits and vegetables.
Be mindful of portion sizes, especially with high carbohydrate foods or packaged snacks. Highly processed food items such as chips, cookies, crackers, candy, etc. are recommended to be consumed in moderation.
If you are a picky eater, or someone who does not enjoy a variety of fruits and vegetables, you may consider taking a supplement. This can simply be a multivitamin. Depending on your current diet, it might be beneficial to have your nutrient levels tested to determine if other supplements should be included. Some common deficiencies include vitamin D, vitamin B6 and Iron [2].
Active Lifestyle
An active lifestyle means you are always on the go. Either you regularly hit the gym, spend most of your days crushing that 10k step goal or anything in between. There are many benefits to living an active lifestyle for overall health and wellbeing. Our bodies were meant to move, not to stay still.
Activity Recommendations
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity a week, such as a brisk walk or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week, such as jogging or running [3]. However, diet remains an important factor to consider as the two go hand in hand. Unfortunately, you cannot exercise your way out of bad dietary habits.
Nutrition Considerations
If you live an active lifestyle, you likely need more calories to support your body to keep it moving. It is important to note that an active lifestyle does not simply allow for an abundance of calories to be added into the diet. In fact, most people mistakenly believe they can eat whatever they want as long as they are active and this will more than likely lead to weight gain.
The amount and intensity of activity you do as well as your current fitness level will determine the number of calories that is right for you to maintain your current weight. If you spend 30 minutes doing light activity such as yoga or a light walk, that is anywhere between 100-150 calories expended on average which equates to an additional small snack during the day. As you can see, it can be easy to go overboard with the illusion that we are burning so much more.
The dietary recommendations for an active lifestyle are similar to a sedentary lifestyle with the exception of calories. You will also need to bump up your water intake if you are exercising outside to find that you sweat excessively during your workouts.
Depending on the type of exercise you do, you may want to increase your protein intake to ensure adequate recovery for your muscles. This is where a supplement might be helpful, especially if following a vegan or vegetarian diet or if you simply don’t like a lot of protein foods.
As you can see, there are not too many differences between the two dietary recommendations. If you are someone who falls within the sedentary lifestyle category and would like to add more activity into your routine, start small. Park farther away when going to stores, take the stairs instead of the elevator or create a track in your home to walk a few times a day. You don’t have to be a marathon runner to live an active and healthy lifestyle, it just takes adding a little more movement where you can.
