We all know that having a healthy and balanced lifestyle comprised of a good diet and plenty of exercise is imperative to lowering our risk of a wide array of potentially life-changing or even shortening diseases and conditions. Such ailments include heart disease, cancer, dementia and diabetes, all of which kill millions of people prematurely each year.
If, like many, the covid-19 pandemic and consequential vaccine rollout has spurred you on to make positive changes to your lifestyle, you’ve probably given some thought to your physical state. Many people don’t exercise as much as they should, and therefore the thought of running 5k every morning or spending an hour at the gym every evening can be daunting to say the least.
Don’t be worried. Here are five easy ways you can improve your physical fitness and build a basic level that will have a positive impact on your health.
Take the Stairs
How many times in a day are you faced with a choice between taking the stairs and taking the elevator? Where possible, take the stairs. It’s not extremely strenuous, but it is a form of cardio and will certainly get your heart pumping. If you work on the 10th floor, it might not be feasible to take 10 flights of stairs straight away, but you can take one flight a day until your fitness increases to the point where you can take more flights in one go.
Walk or Cycle to Work
Taking public transport or driving is second nature for most of us looking to get from place to place. Whether it’s a quick trip to the shop or a morning commute, most of us hop into a vehicle to get there, even though lots of us could probably walk or cycle. If you live less than three miles from your workplace and there is a clear, safe route, try and walk or cycle at least once a week. This will give you an added dose of exercise to boost your fitness levels and improve your physical health.
Dance Clean
This one sounds crazy, but stay with us. Cleaning the house is something that needs to be done every week. Cleaning on its own can be considered exercise, but if you clean and listen to music at the same time, why not have a dance as well? Dancing is great for burning calories and getting your heart pumping, but it also turns otherwise boring chores into something enjoyable.
Of course, be safe whilst doing it, so that means maybe a little dance whilst doing the dishes isn’t bad, but don’t be busting moves when you’re handling cleaning chemicals.
Do Some Gardening
If you have a garden, you have plenty of opportunity to increase your fitness levels. From mowing the lawn to painting the fence and pulling up weeds, there’s lots to get you active outside. Being outdoors has many benefits for your mental health, but it also has lots of physical benefits, too. From cardio to coordination, there are many different parts of your body and physical health that can benefit from engaging in some gardening. What’s more, you don’t even have to leave your house!
Park Further Away
We know we said to avoid taking the car where possible, but there will always be instances where you need to drive. In this case, rather than trying to find a spot as close to the building as possible, park further away. The added few steps will get your pedometer up and give your body a bit extra exercise without having to really work for it.
Summary
Will you be trying any of these five tips to improve your physical health?
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