Your time to move

Physical activity or more commonly known as exercise is so often a phrase that puts the fear of dread into many people and the very thought of it conjures up images of hurt and pain, discomfort, sweaty bodies, and thoughts of total panic. There is a large misconception of why we need to do exercise with such a strong portrayed link to it being the be all end and all for weight loss. This is where you need to reset that exercise slogan and label it as activity and in all honestly weight loss should not be your only driver here.

So why should we move more:

1. The human body was designed and made to move; the body is an amazing machine which works best when its active.
2. It is vital to your health to understand how impactive daily movement is and how this is essential for life.
3. Recent research studies have revealed that being sedentary and sitting too much will shorten your lifespan, diminish quality of life and contribute to the development of chronic diseases.
4. Improvements in our overall mental health are just as great in there returns as the physical change.

As a society we are now becoming more understanding and excepting around the impacts on mental health and the role that poor mental health can have on our positive feelings.

Recent research has shown that this is where physical activity has come to the fore in allowing you to become resilient to the ways of modern life.

People have become less active, as technology is making our lives easier as there is less daily physicality for us. We don’t have to get out the chair anymore to eat, you have a mobile phone that allows you to order, pay and have delivered to your door the next meal which we then consume in front of the television.

This repetitive cycle is where daily movement has been drastically reduced placed a greater toll on your overall health.

It is now about making time for activity, activity that you enjoy, brings family and friends together as a social connection. Again, make being active a simple process, break it down into bitesize manageable chunks and even those 10-minute brisk walks (which are free) can play a major part in your overall health and the improvements it brings.

The very act of being outdoors, breathing fresh air and recognising your surroundings will have profound impact on your physical and mental health.

So, what does being active mean?

Daily movement called NEAT, is the key to promoting health.

Daily activities such as housework, walking the dog, gardening, cleaning the car and general movement is the foundation that allows us to become more active.

From there on being physically active with cardiovascular health, strength, mobility, and stability will form the foundations of a strong healthy body and mind.

As fitness levels increase, you will become more confident in your abilities, greater self-belief and more likely to try new activities that push you out of your comfort zone and continued improvements to health and wellbeing.

Embrace activities and exercise that you enjoy, why else would you do it.