Building exercise into my daily life

Increasing your physical activity levels can start off very simply – some easy ways to build more activities into your day could be:

• Taking the stairs instead of the escalator or lift

• Getting off the bus a couple of stops early and walking the rest

• Parking further away from your destination

• At work, go for a walk on your lunch break

• Have periods of standing, either on the bus, at work or at home

• Walking to the shops and carrying the shopping home

• Doing regular exercise/stretches while watching TV or doing some stretches during TV breaks

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Performing some light exercises while doing everyday activities can make a big difference for example:

• Whilst making a cup of tea/coffee, if you drink 5 cups a day, that could be an extra 15 mins of activity you add to your daily total

• Side-stepping while clearing the dishes away

• Standing on one leg while brushing your teeth, to challenge your balance

• Calf raises/heel raises whilst waiting for the bus to arrive

• Squatting to look at the bottom shelf in the supermarket throughout a trip around the supermarket rather than bending over

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Digital tools

Living in a digital age has many benefits when it comes to increasing your activity levels. You can now get a full-body workout without buying any equipment, having a gym membership or even leaving the comfort of your own home!

Watch the video below to find out which apps have been helpful in helping people achieve type 2 diabetes remission:

Are there any apps or platforms that have helped you become more active? Maybe you’ve tried Couch to 5k and want to share your experience? We’d love to hear what worked for you and for you to share any advice with others in the comments box below!

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