There are sooo many benefits of exercise. It boosts, metabolism, self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy, as well as reducing blood pressure your risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It even slows ageing. It’s medically proven that people who do regular physical activity have:

• up to a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
• up to a 50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes
• up to a 50% lower risk of colon cancer
• up to a 20% lower risk of breast cancer
• a 30% lower risk of early death
• up to an 83% lower risk of osteoarthritis
• up to a 68% lower risk of hip fracture
• a 30% lower risk of falls (among older adults)
• up to a 30% lower risk of depression
• up to a 30% lower risk of dementia

So why do we find it so hard to exercise? Because, its built into our genetic programming to only spend our energy in pursuit of meaningful goals otherwise be as lazy as possible. Its the same default programming that we had in our hunter gatherer days that hunger or low energy could be just around the corner. So in order to overcome our programming we have to make exercise meaningful.

Study’s show the best type of exercise for depression is 30 minutes of aerobic exercise. Use an aerobic calculator to determine what your heart rate needs to be.

How can we make movement meaningful? I personally decided to become a barista because I knew that it would get me moving. I do 4 lots of 4 hour shifts a week and during that time I am constantly moving and there is at least an half an hour period where I am running around, moving boxes or cleaning all of which give me my aerobic exercise AND I get paid (relieving a financial pressure) AND I get to contribute to the success of the business I work for AND I love coffee so there is that too…

Being a barista works for me because I have a passion for coffee and being a student allows me some flexibility in my timetable. But I appreciate that its not a suitable arrangement for everyone. Here are some other suggestions:

• Arrange a walk catch up with a friend – instead of sitting in store to catch up with your friend, take your coffee to go (I recommend buying a reusable cup so you get a 25p discount and casually save the planet whilst you are at it) and head to the local park
• Track your steps – create a competition with your friends
• Do your shopping physically rather than online
• Walk to work (not always possible but cycling perhaps might be a cheaper way to beat the morning traffic)
• Join a sports club (gain some friends, have some fun and beat depression what more can you ask for?!)
• Get a dog – not suitable for everyone but if you have the capacity to care for a dog then you will have to walk them at least once a day, probably twice, meaning that you will benefit from the outdoors too.

If you can get your exercise outside, then you will also unlock the magic of light exposure which will be step no. 2 covered in the next blog. Stay tuned to find out more…