Accumulate 30 minutes of activity every day

Why be active?
Being physically active on a regular basis can make a big difference to your physical and mental health and allow you to make the most of your life. Physical activity can: reduce your chances of developing heart disease and diabetes and reduce your risk of stroke. Becoming more active can also help you control your weight, make you feel and look better, give you more energy and help you relax.

How much activity should you do?
You don't have to take part in energetic exercises or sports - small changes in your everyday routine which involve you being more active will be sufficient. Aim to build up 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week. You can do this by walking instead of travelling by car for short journeys, taking the stairs in stead of the lift, parking your car further away or getting off the bus a stop earlier and walking. Activities such as brisk walking, gardening, swimming and dancing are ideal.

Who should be active?
Everyone can benefit from becoming more active and the good news is that it's never too late to begin! The potential gains from physical activity can be great at any age, as physical activity can have a favourable effect on many health conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. To make the most out of these benefits without encountering any problems you should seek advice from your GP or practice nurse and a physical activity specialist before you begin a new activity programme.

How do you start?
Even if you have not been active for a while you can begin by participating in a variety of activities that you enjoy. You should begin anything new gradually and build up slowly Try adding a little activity into your daily routine like going for a walking break a lunchtime with a colleague or even taking the stairs instead of the lift / escalator at work at every opportunity. Seeking out social support will help you begin and stick to your active routine so encourage a friend or family member to participate with you. No matter what you do or how you do it ~ it all counts. Just remember to do activities that you enjoy.

Staying Active?
Try to vary your activity routine by participating in different kinds of activities. You could visit your local sports centre and see what activities you could take part in. Perhaps you could set yourself some short, medium and long term goals to keep you motivated such as: "In one weeks time I'm going take a walking break at lunchtime on at least two days of the week and take the stairs most days. " "In one months time I'm going to walk the dog instead of watching tv for 15 minutes on at least three evenings a week." "In three months time I'm going to take part in a 5km charity walk" Remember to keep a note of what you do and reward yourself for achieving your goals.

Active Commuting
Travel to work is becoming everybody’s business these days as cities become more congested and journey times increase. Active commuting can help your own health and contribute to a healthier & more pleasant environment. The Walk in to Work Out Pack, is designed to support workplaces who want to develop active commuting. It will give guidance on what employers can do to enable staff to become active commuters and advice to individuals who would like to walk or cycle to work. Order our Walk in to Work Out Pack.