Get Active!

Everyday Tips to Get Active

Taking the extra steps to be active during each day has been proven to be an effective way to improve health and get you burning more energy every day.  A healthy lifestyle (among other things) reduces the risk of heart attack and is an important part of weight control, along with what you eat each day.  10,000 steps every day is what’s recommended to have a positive impact on health; here’s some tips for your daily routine to help you get there.

Everyday:   Getting out and about

• Don’t go round the shopping centre or supermarket in a logical order.
• Take the stairs instead of the lift or escalator.
• Walk to the shop instead of driving or popping in on your way home.
• Take part in sport - consider resuming a sport you enjoyed at school, learn how to play a sport you enjoy watching or join a local club.

Family, friends: Encourage them to be active and a part of your social activities

• Exercise with your child.  Take them to the local swimming pool, walk the dog together, play in the garden or local park.

• Take friends or family on a picnic or go on an outing somewhere and explore.

• Walk the kids to school.  It gets you both active and sets a positive example to be physically active that will hopefully stay with them into adulthood.

• Live too far away to walk?  Instead of dropping the kids off in front of the school, park a couple of streets before it and walk them the rest of the way.

• Walk to friends houses instead of driving.

• All go out and give the dog an extra 5 minutes on his walk.

• Take a trip to the park instead of the cinema.

• Go dancing with friends rather than spending a night in the pub.

• Find out which local sports and leisure centres have crèche facilities, so you can exercise while your children are being looked after.

• Find out if there are activities at your child's school for the local community.  Many schools use their facilities for sports and exercise classes in the evenings and at weekends.

• Ask your child what they’ve done in PE at school and to show you.  Do it with them, you might be surprised by what they've learned and have some fun!

Work:  Many people spend more and more of their time there – make the most of it.

• Walk to and from work.  Live too far away?  Park further from the office or get off the bus or Tube one stop earlier.

• Stop emailing colleagues in the same office, instead go over and talk to them.

• Go for a walk during your lunch break, go to the post office or newsagent, walk to get your lunch or to find somewhere to eat it.  Try to find three different walks and vary them throughout the week.

• Get out of your chair whenever you can.

• Work in a large office building?  Use the upstairs bathroom.

Around the House

• Housework to do?  Turn up the music and really get into it!
• Hide the remote controls for the TV and hi-fi.
• Get up and do something during the TV breaks, do a few step ups on the stairs.
• Stand up while on the telephone.

• Plan your week so you have to walk to the shops frequently.  The bags will be lighter and easier to carry.  You can buy fresh fruit and vegetables; you’ll be visiting the shops more often, so it will always be fresh at home.