Short bursts of activity every day-such as sweeping up the leaves or taking the stairs-are as effective as going to the gym for hour-long sessions. Chores that last as little as a minute can help, as long as you are active for 30 minutes every day, say researchers.
It’s all about choosing the more active option-and, if you do, you can throw away your gym membership card, say researchers at the Oregon State University.
Choosing to walk up the stars instead of using the escalator, or raking the leaves instead of using a blower, or spending an hour in the supermarket instead of shopping on-line can be effective as structured exercise at the gym.
The key is little and often: activities that add up to 30 minutes every day can keep blood pressure and cholesterol in check-and exercising for a couple of hours a week in the gym translates to only around 17 minutes’ activity a week.
And the idea of simple physical activities overcomes the greatest barrier of all: we just don’t have time to exercise. This way you’re doing it without even realising it.
(Source: American Journal of Health Promotion, 2013; 27: 143).
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