Use It or Lose It or Become Chair Shaped

On Friday, as I was changing the sheets on the massage table, a family walked down the hall, past my office.  They got my attention because a woman that looked like the mom, was complaining loudly, "There better be a place to sit, I don't want to walk too far!"  She had a four-legged cane and was holding onto one of the teenagers with her other arm.  She was bent at the waist, and she was shuffling along. 
She was not older than 45.  Her backside was square shaped, like a chair.  She had literally taken the shape of a chair and probably couldn't straighten up.  She was very overweight and you could tell her body was doing all it could just to keep her on her feet.  It made me so sad.  How can this happen?  Its obvious, she has stopped moving and sits all the time.  She has lost the ability to stand and move comfortably. 
We have become a population of sitters.  Our work environments demand that we sit at a desk most of the time.  Our home lives usually center around sitting in a chair, recliner or couch.  If we aren't sleeping, we spend most of the time we are awake, sitting.  Our bodies aren’t built for that. 
Your body evolved to walk, run, sprint, move side to side, jump, hop, bend lift heavy things and twist.  We are still hunter/gatherer bodies, and we are trying to cram them into a position that isn't healthy for it.  Sitting decreases our ability to breathe fully and expand our lungs.  It affects your ability to poop.  It can lead to problems with blood flow, nerve impingement and body aches, and stiffness.  It can also affect your brain's ability to function at its best. 
I know what you're thinking, "But it's damn cold outside and what else am I supposed to do?" 
Put your coat on and go for a walk.  Even if it is just to the mailbox and back.  Do that a few times a day or do laps around the house every hour or so.  If you are playing games, hanging out with kids or watching TV, get on the floor or ottoman.  Try sitting and moving into a variety of positions.  If you work from home, turn on some tunes and dance for 5 minutes every hour or march in place. 
It's going to feel weird or uncomfortable the first few times, but don't be a quitter unless it truly causes pain, then switch to another position that doesn't.  Keep it up and you'll find that your body begins to feel better. 
I'm typing this from my improvised stand-up desk because I over did some twisty rope flow yesterday and my old back injury is reminding me it's still there.  It also means I need to work more on core and rotation. This morning, I went for a short walk, slowly, did some stretches and will keep moving and put heat on it throughout the day.  It will probably be better by tonight.  If I just stopped and sat, I'd be paying for it with a lot more pain.  I'm also going to get me a massage this week! ​