3
ISSUES: Fitness & Health
Chapter 1: About fitness
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If you have children and they take up the majority of your
time, why not exercise with them? You could go on a
family bike ride for example, or go bowling or ice-skating.
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If you have a busy work life, fit exercise around it. Head
out early and hit the gym before work or wind down
with a swim afterwards. It can be a great way to process
the day.
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Walk or cycle to work or your kids to school a couple of
days or more a week.
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Instead of watching TV in the evening, walk to and from
the cinema to watch a film.
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Make the most of even small opportunities to be active
– use the stairs, do manual tasks.
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Walk instead of driving short journeys, or get off the bus
one or two stops earlier than usual.
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Build some activities into your weekend – do some DIY
or gardening.
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Join an organised bike ride, running club or walking
group. Knowing you have a commitment to do
something with other people can be a great motivator.
One-week exercise plan
If you’re still thinking you can’t possibly fit activity into your
lifestyle, you might be surprised by what you can achieve.
Just see how easy it can be in an average week for a working
person who commutes to the office. This example shows you
can smash the target, just in everyday life!
Day
Activity
Time
Monday
Walk to the
station and back;
step out of the
office to get some
lunch
20 minutes
10 minutes
Tuesday
Walk to the
station and back;
nip to the dry
cleaners after
work
20 minutes
15 minutes
Wednesday
Walk to the
station and back;
go to a yoga class
after work
20 minutes
40 minutes
Thursday
Walk to the
station and back
20 minutes
Friday
Saturday
Vacuum the
house
30 minutes
Sunday
Go for bike ride
60 minutes
Total
235 minutes
“I’m a freelancer so make sure I get out of the house at least
once a day for a brisk walk with friends who also work from
home. It’s valuable contact with others and having a dog
that demands walking helps!”
Rachael, freelance editor
What if I have a health condition?
A number of health conditions, such as osteoarthritis and
back pain, may mean you feel anxious about exercising. But
actually it’s usually recommended that you keep active to
help treat your symptoms. This might be with strengthening
exercises or something more lively that gets your heart rate
up. Both of these are thought to be better than bed rest or
steering clear of activity.
Walking is very safe but if you have specific concerns, contact
your GP about what you can and can’t do. Or if you’ve been
referred to another doctor or physiotherapist, they can
recommend the activities and exercise that are most suitable
for you.
Resources
Further information
British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical
Activity and Health
01509 226 421
Sources
The 50 things that put the ‘feel great’ in Great Britain. Bupa.
published 15 April 2015
Physical activity guidelines for adults (19–64 years)
Department of Health.
, published July 2011
Moderate to vigorous – what is your level of intensity?
American Heart Association.
, published
March 2014
Examples ofmoderate and vigorous physical activity. Harvard
TH Chan School of Public Health.
,
accessed 11 June 2015
Measuring physical activity intensity. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
, published 4 February
2015
Accessed 27 October 2016
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The above information is reprinted with kind permission
from Bupa. Please visit
for further
information.
© Bupa 2017
