Read it and weep

So there I was yesterday, sat at my desk, eating my lunch and clicking through my favourite websites - Heatworld, Grazia Daily, Jezebel, TMZ, *cough* Daily Mail online *cough* (yes, it's dirty, but they have a great Showbiz section) - and as usual, I clicked onto Marie Claire's daily newsletter. I saw this. I saw red.

Now, it's not often I get enraged by silly news pieces - my eyes just completely filter out the 'Everything You Do Will Give You Cancer' stories that litter the Daily Fail site - but stories like this really rile me. 'Get fit by fidgeting (yes, really)'?! NO.

The article is actually based on a study by scientists at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, which showed that just 30 minutes of light exercise a day is enough to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and benefit the heart and lungs. Now, this is nothing new - we all know that we should be doing at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, right? It's a good message, one that should be reinforced regularly. But why do Marie Claire feel the need to turn it into a ridiculous piece about fidgeting being exercise? Why can't they encourage actual exercise? It's not evil!

To be fair to them, they do go on to say this:

"That’s not to say we should be chucking our trainers for a life of fidgeting – there’s no replacement for vigorous workouts – but it’s encouraging to know that a little can go a long way."

Yes, exactly. Fine. If 'a little' is taking the stairs instead of a lift, getting off the bus a couple of stops early to walk the rest of the way - not 'jiggling your legs up and down'.

And then:

"As well as improving fitness, fidgeting has also been proven to help with weight loss."

Le sigh.

Am I the only one really angry about this? Also Marie Claire, have you ever sat next to someone that fidgets continuously? It's fucking annoying and will only lead to violence.