• 56 hours: in bed
• 40 hours: at work, e.g. in front of a computer or sitting in meetings
• 7.5 hours: travelling into work by car, or sitting or standing on the train, bus or Tube
• 10 hours: sitting down when eating
• 7 hours: watching TV or reading
• 8.5 hours: socialising with friends [often sitting]
• 14 hours: cooking, washing, brushing teeth, showering and personal admin.

That’s a grand total of 143 hours of little or no movement per week. We only have 168 hours in a week, so that’s 85% of our week without movement.  It is challenging to make changes to these 143 hours, so it’s what we do with the rest of our time that is particularly important.

Three golden rules of exercising

1. Movement = energy. Aim to fill as much of your life with movement as possible.
2. Be consistent. As the saying goes, if you don’t use it, you lose it. If you exercise 3 – 4 times per week for three months and then miss a month, most of your health and fitness gains will be lost because you’ve stopped.
3. Find exercise that you enjoy and that fits your lifestyle, this will increase your chance of being a consistent exerciser.

The three key types of exercise

1. Resistance
2. Cardiovascular
3. Stretching.

Each gives your body unique benefits. A good exercise programme should ideally incorporate all three elements in the same workout; they can also be separated into different workouts; however, it is good to include stretching at the end of all workouts.

The benefits of resistance exercise

1. This can be with free weights, machine weights or your own body weight.
2. Increases your metabolism, i.e. you burn more calories each day [even when you’re sitting still!]
3. Helps you to achieve the weight you want
4. Builds and/or tones your muscles, improving confidence
5. Improves your posture
6. Strengthens your bones, reducing the risk of osteoporosis
7. Makes everyday activities easier and makes you less prone to back problems and other injuries.

The benefits of cardiovascular exercise

1. Releases endorphins, the feel-good chemicals—so you feel happy
2. Improves your energy levels and gives you more stamina each day
3. Improves your overall health, especially that of your heart and lungs
4. Increases your metabolism [i.e. you burn more calories each day]
5. Strengthens your immune system, so you’re less likely to get ill
6. Reduces the risk of diseases such as cancer and heart disease
7. Helps you to maintain a healthy weight
8. Improves quality of sleep
9. Increases blood flow, which improves the appearance of the skin.

The benefits of stretching exercise

1. Improves your balance, co-ordination and mobility
2. Reduces muscle tension and helps to prevent injuries
3. Improves flexibility, mobility and posture
4. Stimulates blood circulation and improves energy levels
5. Improves physical performance in sports and general exercise
6. Helps to relax, re-energise and balance mind and body

Examples of resistance, cardiovascular and stretching exercise

Resistance exercises

An all-body resistance-based workout could last for as little as 20 minutes and it could be done just twice a week in order to see improvements. That’s just 40 minutes per week to get all the great benefits of resistance training—anything more is a bonus. You could try to:

• take a resistance-based exercise class, e.g. body pump
• get a personal trainer to write you a home-based resistance programme or look one up online
• take part in a military fitness class or an outdoor boot camp circuit class
• use resistance bands [when you buy them they come with examples of exercises]
• join a gym and get a resistance programme from a gym instructor or personal trainer.

Cardiovascular exercises

Ideally, a cardiovascular-based workout should be done three times a week. It doesn’t need to be for long: 20 – 30 minutes at a time is a great place to start. That’s just 1 hour a week to start seeing the benefits! You could try:

• cardio-based exercise classes, such as Zumba, body attack, cardio kick-boxing and aerobics
• a cardio-based exercise DVD
• sports that involve cardio, e.g. cycling, swimming, skipping, running, football, netball and power-walking
• looking up a cardio-based fitness programme online, which you can do outside of a gym
• joining a military fitness class or outdoor boot camp circuit class
• joining a gym and get a cardio-based programme from a gym instructor or personal trainer.

Stretching exercises

An all-body stretching workout could last for as little as 10 – 20 minutes and you could start by doing this twice a week: that’s just 20 – 40 minutes per week to start seeing great benefits. Stretches can be done throughout a cardiovascular or resistance workout, in-between exercises or at the end of your workout. You could try:

• going to yoga or Pilates classes, or getting personal yoga or Pilates sessions at home
• a stretching exercise DVD or Wi Fit, or follow a yoga book or DVD
• searching online [there are hundreds of stretching videos to choose from]
• asking a personal trainer or yoga instructor to write you a home-based stretching programme.

One final point to mention is that there are big benefits for your overall health in combining all three elements of exercising in the same workout [e.g. some cardiovascular exercise, some resistance exercise and some stretching]. This is also a great use of time and will leave you feeling completely energised.

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Remember that the average office worker’s week is 85% inactive, so walk whenever and wherever possible (e.g. get off the train, bus, or Tube a couple of stops early to give yourself a good 30-minute walk to work three mornings a week and always take the stairs at work).

2. Find the exercise you love

Find something active you enjoy that fits your lifestyle and aim to do this 2–3 times per week. The golden rule with exercise is consistency—if you don’t like the exercise you have chosen and it doesn’t fit your lifestyle, you just won’t keep it up.

3. Morning exercise is best

Morning exercise is best for energy and burning calories, and people who exercise in the morning are always more consistent exercisers. Why? Because, more things can get in the way of your plans to exercise at lunchtime or in the evenings. So do 20–60 minutes of exercise at least three mornings per week—it doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you’re moving.

4. A balanced exercise programme

Aim for a balanced exercise programme, combining resistance, cardiovascular and stretching exercise.

5. Having great energy makes exercise easier

Ensure you sleep well and follow good nutrition habits. This will ensure you have great energy for exercise; it will also aid your post-exercise recovery and maximise your results.

6. Challenge yourself

Exercise in your discomfort zone. This is not your comfort zone (e.g. sitting on a bike reading the newspaper), but nor is it your pain zone (e.g. pushing yourself so hard that it’s really painful).

7. Motivate yourself with a goal

Set yourself a health and fitness goal, making it as specific as possible and setting yourself a deadline for achieving it. Share your goal with someone—this will help you to stick to it.

Excerpted with permission from Energise You by Oliver Gray; Published by Jaico Books

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