Getting Active – It's Easier Than You Think!

We all lead busy lives, we all have our commitments, but as adults you need to be doing at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity (anything that gets the heart rate up and makes you breathe a little faster). 

When can I squeeze that in you say? Not everyone can go to the gym but here are a few little things you can do to increase the amount of activity you do in a day:

1) Walk a little more (at a good pace we want that heart rate up), if you catch the bus to work can you get off a stop earlier and walk the rest of the way. Join the lunch time strollers or go for a walk around campus. If you drive to work and park in the car parks can you park further away or perhaps and extra floor up then you can – (see next point)

2) Take the stairs, do you use the lift to go up 5 floors? Walk to the second floor and then get the lift if you can’t do them all but in time you could find you will be able to do those 5 flights of stairs and it’s a great cardio activity.

3) Going shopping, getting a few bits and bobs (don’t forget your re-usable bags) do you go straight for a trolley? Try a basket instead, its like a little weight lifting session, get 2 baskets and you can do a farmers walk!

4) Watching TV, we all like a bit of that, the walking dead is brilliant at the minute but you don’t have to just sit there, grab a tin of beans (or any other tin) and do some arm curls, can you lie on the floor and do sit ups/leg raises while you watch, any movement will do, if you have little ones (and mine love this) sit on your chair with the little one on your feet and do leg raises, the find it funny and you get a leg workout!






5) Stand while talking on the phone, if you can walk around (more for at home than the office) sitting reduces your heart rate so by standing up when you can you increase your heart rate plus it’s good to get up from your desk and move around.