
We all know the ups of getting fit – it makes you feel good, helps get over the blues, puts more fizz in your confidence cocktail and gives your energy levels a big fat helping hand. Putting aside time to go to the gym or join a sporting team are obvious routes to gaining more exercise, but there is also a smorgasbord of ‘incidental' ways to work out.
Give it a little rest. You might, for instance, walk to the shops rather than drive, cycle to work rather than drive, or even walk to a bus stop and opt for public transport. On your way home, why not get off a stop early and spend a few extra minutes pounding the pavement?
You could duck out for a coffee when in need of a break, but a much healthier idea is to take a stroll. If you work in an area that allows for it, walk to the nearest park and back, or if working in a busy CBD, walk around the block. Need to talk to a colleague? Get up and walk over rather than jump on the phone. Stretches at your desk also help to make sure your neck and back muscles don't knot up.
Live large – if you've finished a good bout of housework, cooked a meal or filed some bills, you deserve to break out: put on your favourite up-beat music and dance around your living room (if you have flatmates, time this carefully). For another ‘homey' option, try creating a garden, or clean up your existing one with some hearty mowing or raking.