WELLBEING
How to
BE MORE ACTIVE In our busy 21st century lives it can be hard to make time for formal exercise, despite all our good intentions, so Lisa de Silva has put together a few tips to make increased activity more manageable
W
hile we all know the positive impact of activity on our physical and mental health, many of us simply do not have schedules that allow for a regular gym visit or a specific commitment to workout. The good news is that we can still improve our physical health simply by raising our level of general activity. The UK Chief Medical Officer recommends 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week for adults and while
AT HOME
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Do the housework to music to put a spring in your step Get outside for a brisk 10-minute walk or put your headphones on for a 10-minute silent disco session twice a day Take a longer walk listening to a podcast or an audiobook Multi-task while watching TV – walk on the spot, do some squats, lunges or stretching during the ad breaks Wear a step tracking device to motivate you to increase your step count Catch up with friends over a walk Walk to the shops Spend time playing active games,
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110 SUSSEX LIVING | June 2021
that might seem overwhelming, if you break it down into manageable chunks, it need not disrupt your life. If you commit to 20-minutes a day, broken up into two 10-minute sessions, the task instantly feels more manageable. The trick is to stop thinking of
The trick is to stop thinking of exercise as something you have to change your clothes for going on a bike ride, swimming or dancing with your children Walk the children to school If you have younger children, set up a buggy group with other mums for long walks and chats Spend time gardening
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AT WORK
• Walk or cycle to work • If you drive, park furthest away from the entrance • Always take the stairs • Use your lunchbreak to get outside for a brisk 10-minute walk • Arrange to walk and talk instead of sitting in a meeting room
exercise as something you have to change your clothes for, warm up for, get out of breath for, or need a post-session shower for. Simply think of it as moving a little more and incorporating more general physical activity into your daily routine. These small changes add up over time and will help with weight control, as well as lowering levels of stress and cholesterol. To inspire you into action, we’ve listed some ideas for increasing your general physical activity both at home and work. l
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Stand up and move around while talking on the phone Try a standing desk Make face to face visits in the office instead of messaging colleagues Offer to do the coffee run for your colleagues
