Ten Everyday Tips for Staying Active
We’ve all heard about the importance of staying active. Irrespective of how long for, keeping active has a whole host of benefits including boosting your mood. With that being said, physical activity should form part of our day-to-day lives. There may be a lot to juggle each day, but there’s no need to worry, there are lots of ways to work around it and maintain your daily activity levels.
Read on to see our Ten Everyday Tips for Staying Active.
Top 10 Everyday Tips for Staying Active:
1. Set reminders for 20-30 minutes of movement during the day.
It’s very easy to get carried away with the day and not realise the time, before you know it, you could have done a whole morning without stepping away from your desk. So how about setting a reminder on your phone? Alarms can be set to encourage you to get up for half an hour, or if you’d prefer, you could even pop them in throughout the day, 10 minute opportunities can do the trick. This time can be spent going for a walk, doing some yoga, or even simply getting a household chore done such as hoovering- it’s all moving at the end of the day!
‘Our helpful hint’
You’d be surprised how many squats you can get in whilst the kettle boils.
2. Try something new.
Keeping fit doesn’t mean sweating on the treadmill for half an hour and hating every second of it. Doing something you enjoy, whilst having the encouragement of team mates, may inspire you to keep going back. Take a look at local sports teams, or outdoor activity classes, you may be surprised to find a new sport that you love, and it’s great exercise too. Finding a new hobby can help your activity levels, and don’t forget the social aspect, you may also make great friends along the way.
‘Our helpful hint’
Park run is a fantastic way to start your weekend with a 5km run, the community support is a special feeling too.
3. Buddy up - it’s better together.
Sometimes it’s hard to find that inner self-motivation, we’ve all been there. A solution? You can buddy up with a friend, family member, or even a colleague to motivate and support each other. Try to find time throughout the week to set aside and be active together. You can simply go for walks or runs together, or be open to new opportunities; you may be amazed and find yourself enjoying a new activity that your buddy loves, such as pilates or yoga.
‘Our helpful hint’
Add in goals or targets for a bit of healthy competition between the two of you, you may find yourself pushing harder without realising it.
4. Get your steps in.
Don’t forget that walking is a great form of exercise, you could aim to make it a habit to walk more. This isn’t to say you need to walk for long chunks of time, a brisk 15-minute walk can do the trick. Whether it’s a countryside walk with your dog, a short walk around the block on your lunch break, or going for a walk with your family after dinner, it all counts as movement. The fresh air could also do you the world of good too.
‘Our helpful hint’
If you have scheduled work calls, how about taking the call on a walk instead of at your desk?
5. Park a few minutes away from your destination.
For many of us, our lifestyles make us feel as if we are always busy, don’t worry, that doesn’t mean that you can’t get your steps in! If you are heading out for work, leisure, or a social event, you could park a few streets away, or at a car park just outside of town. You can then complete your journey on foot or even by cycling. Not only is this great for increasing your daily activity, but it’s also better for the environment too.
‘Our helpful hint’
Why don’t you give cycling a try? There are many public cycle hire schemes available, where you can pay as you go.
6. Set goals & rewards.
There are so many benefits to moving more, it all counts, so why not reward yourself along the way. Set weekly targets, such as 5 x 30-minute bouts of activity, and reward yourself when you achieve this target. It's great for motivating yourself!
Longer-term challenges, such as swimming a certain distance, achieving a set number of reps for an exercise, or running a personal best are all great ideas too. Remember, make it challenging but realistic and achievable too.
‘Our helpful hint’
Download a running app to track your miles & treat yourself to a new pair of trainers once a certain distance has been achieved.
7. Become a morning person.
You’ve had a long day at work and the last thing you want to do is go to the gym, so how about setting your alarm earlier and getting your exercise in then? It’s a great feeling at the end of the day when your daily activity has already been completed. Choose an activity that you enjoy, remember that this doesn’t need to be a high-intensity session that you dread; swimming, 5 a side football, or touch rugby with your friends still contributes towards your daily goals. Whilst this may not be for everyone, it’s worth giving it a try.
‘Our helpful hint’
How about positioning your phone or alarm out of reach, you’ll have no choice but to get up!
8. Short and sharp - Make workouts short but at a high intensity.
We understand that on those non-stop days you won’t always be able to workout for long periods. For those times, it can help to make your activity a short bout of high-intensity exercise, 10-15 minutes at most. The brilliant thing about HIIT (high intensity interval training) is that it doesn’t require equipment and can be done at home, in a park, in your garden, or even at the office (if you have the space!). There’s a whole range of exercises to try out ranging from squats all the way to sprints so there is something for everyone.
‘Our helpful hint’
Due to the intensity, HIIT workouts are not designed to be an everyday affair. Once or twice a week will ensure you workout at your best.
9. Workout in front of the TV.
The good news is that keeping active doesn’t have to make a dent in your bank account. Fitness videos or online exercise classes are a fantastic way to get some exercise in the comfort of your own home, with the guidance of a virtual instructor. How about getting your family members involved too? If you have a treadmill or exercise bike and fancy popping that in front of your favourite soap at 6pm, instead of sitting on the sofa, you’re killing two birds with one stone.
‘Our helpful hint’
Do a quick workout every time there is an ad break, an hour-long TV programme could total 10-15 minutes of movement.
10. Invest in a resistance band.
When you’re on the road for work, or even away from home or the gym, it can be harder to fit in workouts. A resistance band may just be something that you always wish you had. These can be used to exercise different parts of your body and there are a whole range of exercises to choose from. They are a fantastic way to carry out strength or flexibility exercises away from the gym, whilst being inexpensive and weighing next to nothing in your bag.
‘Our helpful hint’
Try to purchase a pack that contains enough resistance options to suit each exercise.
The Bottom Line
It’s safe to say that there are many benefits of keeping active on both our physical and mental wellbeing. We can all do our best to move more, choosing activities that you enjoy means exercise doesn’t need to be a chore.
Remember, there’s no right or wrong way, all movement is good movement. Dancing with your friends, taking your dog for a walk, or playing football with your teammates all count.
Stay active with Huel
Huel makes staying active super easy, as all our products are designed with convenience in mind, meaning you can take Huel on-the-go with you. For ultimate convenience, Huel bars and Huel ready-to-drink are perfect as they require zero prep time. However, all our products can be made and consumed in under 5 minutes.
