Living Streets – 90th Anniversary
This year is the 90th Anniversary of Living Streets’ campaign to make streets fitter for walking for everyone, whether they are aged nine or 90. TV presenter and author Kate Humble is the 2019 National Walking Month Ambassador encouraging us all to get out and about.
A brisk daily walk
A brisk daily walk is good for your health, reducing the risk of preventable conditions like heart disease, cancer, depression and Type 2 diabetes
Gut health – VEST
It is also useful for your gut health as Love Your Gut’s Sophie Christy advises:
V= Vary your exercise
Varying your exercise is one of the best ways to keep you interested but also helps provide different health benefits. Combine anaerobic exercise such as weight bearing exercises with aerobic activities such as housework or walking. And flexibility exercises such as yoga and Pilates are great at keeping you supple
E = Everyday routines can include exercise
Thinking about doing exercise five times a week can be hard. Automatically you think you have to go to the gym, but actually there are lots of things we do every day which can help burn calories. Try walking instead of driving when you go to the shops or visit friends and when out and about use the stairs instead of the escalators. Challenge yourself when doing the housework, can you vacuum more quickly, or polish more vigorously? Or can you try core stability exercises in front of the TV or do twenty minutes of jogging on the spot?
S = Step to it and check your exercise rates with a pedometer
Walking around every day can add to your fitness routine. But are you getting around enough? Experts recommend taking 10,000 steps a day to avoid leading a sedentary lifestyle, so invest in a pedometer which will measure the number of steps you take. It’s a great way for monitoring your exercise rates and they can be quite cheap to purchase – so step to it!
T = Thirty minutes, five times a week
Thirty minutes of exercise, five times a week can seem a little daunting. But thirty minutes only actually equates to 3% of your day – now is that so hard to fit in? It doesn’t need to be the same time or activity every day, but do try and fit the time in – even doing something is better than nothing at all.
For further information about National Walking Month see https://bit.ly/2YEAl3q
