\n\t\t\t\t\tResearch highlights how short, sharp bursts of movement, like running for a bus or carrying heavy shopping, can boost heart health – which over time could encourage the body to become more resilient\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n
If you hate working out and are worried about the impact it may have on your health, there\u2019s some good news. A new <\/a>study<\/a> shows that doing everyday activities, such as household chores and gardening a bit more vigorously, may lead to significant health and longevity benefits.<\/p>\n Researchers from the University of Sydney analysed data from the UK Biobank, which detailed the daily movements of more than 20,000 adults for about a week; none formally exercised. However, some moved with more oomph than others as they went about their day. The study found that those who moved around briskly were as much as half as likely to experience a heart attack or stroke in the following years as people who almost always dawdled through their day.<\/p>\n Daily life has become mostly sedentary, with many seeing exercise as a short opportunity for movement in an otherwise inactive day. But by making some simple tweaks to your day to increase your physical activity, you can reap some of the benefits of exercise<\/a> without needing to go to the gym.<\/p>\n Danny Stevenson, founder and owner of <\/a>Two Birds Fitness<\/a>, says we must embrace Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (Neat), all the movement we do outside of structured workouts or sport. \u201cNeat covers everything from walking the dog to doing the housework, gardening, or even fidgeting. For those not keen on traditional exercise, Neat is a brilliant way to improve fitness and health without setting foot in a gym,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n As Stevenson explains, the health benefits<\/a> go beyond burning calories. \u201cWhat\u2019s especially powerful is that these seemingly small movements can really add up. Research highlights how short, sharp bursts of movement, like running for a bus or carrying heavy shopping, can boost heart health. These moments may feel fleeting, but over time, they condition the heart, improve circulation, and encourage the body to become more resilient.\u201d<\/p>\n Experts believe that Neat should be part of an overall healthy lifestyle, which ideally includes more intense strength training, cardiovascular exercise<\/a>, and stretching. If you\u2019re looking for ways to encourage more movement, we\u2019ve spoken to experts about ways to get fit without hitting the gym.<\/p>\n Take a 15-minute walk to break up your day<\/strong><\/p>\n According to Stevenson, adding Neat into your day doesn\u2019t require a significant lifestyle overhaul, and walking more is an easy way to start. \u201cEven short trips count, and choosing routes with hills or taking a brisker pace can make a difference.\u201d Brisk walking at a pace where you are slightly out of breath is preferable, but as personal trainer James Hutchison<\/a> says: \u201cDo whatever you can to get more daily steps in, even if that\u2019s walking with a friend at a leisurely pace so you can still chat.\u201d<\/p>\n While much attention has been paid to walking 10,000 steps a day, it\u2019s not essential to aim for a particular number of steps to reap the benefits of daily walks. Even a 15-minute walk can help break up a monotonous and sedentary day. Walking increases blood flow and oxygen in your brain, which releases serotonin and endorphins \u2013 chemicals that make you happier.<\/p>\n Weighted vests have become popular with those wanting to increase their calorie burn while walking, but Hutchison cautions against carrying a heavy weight too soon. \u201cIt\u2019s important that the weight you carry is added to gradually. This progressive overload approach allows your body to adapt to the weight and reduces the chance of it being uncomfortable on your neck, shoulders, and feet.\u201d<\/p>\n Stevenson also suggests tweaking daily habits<\/a>, such as walking to school or work instead of driving or parking a little further away and walking the rest of the way.<\/p>\n Find ways to lift heavy objects to help with age-related muscle loss<\/strong><\/p>\n Online food shopping has meant that many of us have forgotten how to lift and carry bags, which could accelerate muscle loss as we age. As personal trainer Niki Woods<\/a> says: \u201cWe lose 3-5 per cent of our muscle each decade over the age of 30, and it really is a case of \u2018use it or lose it\u2019, and lifting heavy things helps counteract this.\u201d<\/p>\n Woods says that following a progressive exercise programme significantly reduces muscle and bone loss. However, challenging the body regularly throughout the day with activities that require us to engage and use our muscles, such as carrying shopping, lifting and carrying children, and moving furniture around when doing household chores, also plays a significant role.<\/p>\n According to Woods, lifting outside of the gym may be more beneficial in some ways. \u201cUnlike gym lifting movements, which are more controlled, actions such as lifting a child or suitcase from the ground to somewhere higher are often across more than one plane of movement, so they can require more balance and core activation than simply lifting a weight up and down in the gym.\u201d<\/p>\n Take the stairs to help your heart<\/strong><\/p>\n Evidence is mounting that climbing stairs (and not even that many stairs) can significantly improve heart health and longevity.<\/p>\n The latest is an <\/a>analysis<\/a> of nine studies that followed nearly half a million people and found that climbing stairs is linked to a 24 per cent lower risk of early death from any cause and a 39 per cent lower likelihood of death from cardiovascular disease, which includes heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes.<\/p>\n As one of the study authors Dr Sophie Paddock, of the University of East Anglia and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Foundation Trust, says: \u201cEven brief bursts of physical activity have beneficial health impacts, and short bouts of stair-climbing should be an achievable target to integrate into daily routines.\u201d<\/p>\n Do household chores in speedy bursts to boost your brain power<\/strong><\/p>\n Whether you love it or loathe it, performing regular housework has been linked to sharper memory, attention span, better leg strength, and greater protection against falls in older adults, according to <\/a>research<\/a>.<\/p>\n Only around half of the older age groups in the study met the recommended physical activity quota through recreational physical activity alone. However, nearly two-thirds met this target exclusively through housework. Cognitive scores were higher in those doing high volumes of housework compared with those in the low volume groups.<\/p>\n You might not count housework as exercise, but think about it: when you dust a bookshelf, you use your body to twist, reach, and wipe. When you do dishes, you scrub, lift, and bend. All these motions help you get a little extra activity in your day.<\/p>\n Set a timer and blitz one area of your home at a time to boost your activity levels and brain power. You should work up a bit of a sweat, and short bursts mean you won\u2019t have time to get bored.<\/p>\n Use gardening to get fit and reduce stress levels<\/strong><\/p>\n In 2021, research<\/a> by the Royal Horticultural Society revealed that individuals who garden every day have wellbeing scores 6.6 per cent higher and stress levels 4.2 per cent lower than those who don\u2019t garden at all. Surveying more than 6,000 people, the research showed a significant association between gardening more frequently and improvements in wellbeing, perceived stress and physical activity.<\/p>\n Gardening can help keep your body flexible and build muscle strength. You can work out every major muscle group as you stretch, bend, lift, pull and push.<\/p>\n \u201cGardening is strength, cardio and conditioning all in one \u2013 it\u2019s a full-body workout,\u201d says Anastasia Hancock, who has been volunteering with GoodGym, a UK-based community of people who get fit by doing good, for eight years. <\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t really notice what your muscles are doing. It\u2019s not like lifting weights or being on a treadmill, where all you are thinking is, \u2018this hurts\u2019 or \u2018this is boring\u2019. Yet, after every session, you can feel the workout. Gardening is a good way to exercise and keep active without spending money on a gym.\u201d<\/p>\n Stand up more<\/strong><\/p>\n There is increasing evidence that sitting for too long can harm your health. It is thought to slow down the metabolism, which affects the body\u2019s ability to regulate blood sugar and blood pressure, as well as break down body fat.<\/p>\n Many adults spend around nine hours a day sitting, including time watching TV, using a computer, reading, doing homework, and travelling by car, bus, or train. Personal trainer <\/a>Michael Baah<\/a> advises his clients to anchor standing to passive habits. \u201cWe pair standing with tasks that don\u2019t require energy. Try standing for the first 10 minutes of your favourite TV show, always take phone calls standing or pacing and make morning coffee the moment you stand by a window or stretch.\u201d<\/p>\n Baah tells every client: \u201cBe the best fidgeter you can be.\u201d Which can involve shifting your weight while standing, tapping your feet or pacing while brushing your teeth. \u201cIt\u2019s all movement and it keeps your metabolism subtly engaged all day,\u201d says Baah. <\/p>\n Layer activities to optimise results<\/strong><\/p>\n Don\u2019t think of your Neat time as lost time in the day. Instead, layer activities together to make the best use of your time. \u201cAn early morning walk can be used to plan for the day and get on top of your schedule,\u201d advises personal trainer Sophie Lunn.<\/p>\n If you need to be in an online meeting but don\u2019t need to be on camera, Lunn advises walking around while you\u2019re on the call, which can also boost your creativity. \u201cA Stanford University study<\/a> found that creativity levels were consistently and significantly higher for those walking than those sitting. One experiment demonstrated that people walking (outdoors or on a treadmill) produced twice as many creative responses as someone sitting down.\u201d<\/p>\n