If part of your body seem to be “hanging out” of places more than usual, it could be your weekend that is the cause. Many people tend to relax their healthy habits on the weekends as their routines are disrupted from the normal weekly schedules.

Research shows that “lazy weekends” may boost body fat and reduce overall health even faster than sedentary habits during the week. “We know that, on average, people consume less or eat healthier diets on weekdays,” explained study author Clemens Drenowatz, an assistant professor of exercise science at University of South Carolina in Columbia, S.C. “So, they may be able to get by with less activity on weekdays because their diet makes up for it. On weekends, they’re eating more, which requires more activity or less sedentary behavior to offset,” Drenowatz said.

Researchers found that adding just 20 minutes of activity to the weekend has significant benefits to body fat and health, as well as inspiration for more activity beyond that 20 minutes. It seems that once the “lazy weekend” cycle has started, it tends to snowball unless interrupted with some purposeful activity.

And as for the work week, research also shows that a standing desk makes a huge difference over sitting at a desk, so consider purchasing a Varidesk or something similar. Your health is worth it!