TAKE THE STAIRS

W e all know that moving our body is such an important part of keeping ourselves healthy, but we don’t necessarily all do it.

Let’s face it, some people are exercise junkies and love to be active, but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

What if I told you that any kind of movement makes a difference? That you don’t have to go out and run 10km or lift a tonne of weights to benefit your body?

With the increase in technology use through our devices, binge watching TV, gaming and sedentary jobs, we are sitting more each day than we ever have before. This is doing some serious damage to our health because prolonged periods of sitting mean we are using less energy and therefore increasing our risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome and deep-vein thrombosis.

Here are some ways you can decrease your sitting time and increase your movement.

You know the ones, those stairs at work that come out next to the lifts on each floor of your building? The ones you don’t often see being used? Make yourself a rule that if you’re going fewer than four floors up or down, you walk instead of taking the lift.

SQUAT DURING AD BREAKS

OK, I admit that sounds a bit weird, but if you’re watching TV there are some obvious times you can stand up and move your body. Every time there’s an ad break, stand up and do 10 squats, one minute of high knees, star jumps, lunges – anything.

WALK INSTEAD OF EMAILING

When you’re at work it’s often easier to fire off an email or pick up the phone, but delivering a face-to-face message is not only great for moving your body, it’s more personal. Win win.

PARK FURTHER AWAY