Let's 'push play' and get moving this spring!
The Push Play campaign from the 1990s is back to encourage everyone to get moving again after COVID disruptions.
Everyone can benefit from physical activity, even small amounts. If it has been a while since you have last been active, there is no better time than now to brush off the winter cobwebs and start moving.
There's no shortage of evidence that exercise and activity are good for your physical and mental wellbeing. Here are some great reasons to up the exercise and get more active.
Exercise can make you feel happier
Exercise can improve your mood and make you feel happier, by producing changes in the part of the brain that regulate stress and anxiety. Exercise can increase the production of endorphins, which are known to help produce positive feelings. You don't even have to do anything strenuous to get these effects, even gentle exercise can lift your spirits.
Exercise can help you lose or control your weight
Exercise plays an important role in a healthy metabolism and helps you burn more calories/kilojoules per day. Regular exercise also plays a part in maintaining healthy muscles and bones.
Exercise can reduce your risk of health conditions and disease
Lack of regular exercise is a contributor to many health conditions including Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and many cancers.
Exercise can increase your energy levels and help you sleep better
There are fantastic heart and lung health benefits when you exercise regularly. Aerobic exercise boosts the cardiovascular system, which can significantly help with energy levels. Regular physical activity can help you sleep better which also gives you more energy during the day.
Exercise can help your brain health and memory
Regular physical activity improves blood flow to the brain and helps brain health and memory. It can help protect mental function for older adults.
Just 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on most days of the week will put bounce back into your life. You'll feel better and healthier. Three "doses" of ten minutes will work just as well.
Looking for some easy ways to increase your activity?
Incidental activity is any activity you do that builds up in small amounts over the day, for example, walking up the stairs at the office or playing with your kids at a park.
Try the following ways to increase your incidental activity.
At work:
- Park your car 5-10 minutes away from your office and walk the rest
- Walk up the stairs instead of taking the lift
- If you take the bus, jump off a few stops earlier and walk the rest
- Organise a regular exercise session at work and encourage everyone to get involved
- Leave the office during your lunch break for a 15-minute walk outdoors
- Try a new coffee shop a little further away from your office
- Get up and walk to a colleague’s desk to talk instead of sending an email
At home:
- Go for a short walk before breakfast or after dinner
- When the TV commercials come on, stand up and stretch or do something active, such as squats or marching on the spot
- Do some short bursts of gardening or mow the lawn
- Challenge yourself to get the housework done a little quicker to work up a sweat e.g vacuuming, hanging out the washing
Leisure time:
- Park further away from the local mall or shops and walk the extra distance
- Walk around the field while you’re watching your kids’ Saturday sport or join in on their warmup
- Kick a ball or throw a frisbee in the park with your family
- Go for a bushwalk
- Head down to the local pool, beach or river for a swim
- Walk to your local restaurant/shops/cafe, instead of driving
- Meet friends for a takeaway coffee then catch up and chat while walking