All fired up to start an exercise habit? Don’t restrict activity to that gym class – make your body move more in general and you’ll reap the benefits. Because research shows sitting down for long periods of time – at work, on the sofa or in the car – can make it harder to lose weight and get fit.
But you don’t have to spend hours in the gym to boost your wellbeing. These are our top tips for staying on your toes:
1. Make it a habit to stand up when you’re on the phone, or pace up and down while talking.
2. Done with dinner? Wash up by hand afterwards, rather than piling everything into the dishwasher.
3. Working or studying from home? Move your bin from under your desk to the other side of your of$ce so you have to get up to throw something away.
4. When you’re watching TV, get up during every TV ad break – you don’t have to do exercise, but make a cup of tea or do some gentle stretching.
5. Add in a Fight of stairs every day; if you live in a block of ]ats or work in a tall building, get out of the lift one ]oor early, then two floors early, and keep building up.
6. When you’re gardening, use a watering can, rather than a hose, to water the plants. The extra trips to the tap will make a difference.
7. Pick a high stool to perch on occasionally, as this gives you a break from sitting and activates different muscles in your legs and bottom.