Exercise is a planned, structured, and repetitive physical activity that aims to improve or maintain our fitness levels. It focuses on the bodily movements produced by the skeletal muscles resulting in an energy expenditure. A sport on the other hand is a regulated and competitive activity such as football and rugby. It is always a good idea to incorporate some form of a physical exercise in our day to day living.

A person in good physical shape is one who improves daily with vigor and diligence, without excessive fatigue and with lots of energy reserves to do other activities.

Sedentarism: What is it?

A sedentary lifestyle is one of the causes and facilitators for the development of the most common chronic diseases such as:

• Cardiovascular pathology, especially arteriosclerosis, coronary heart disease and hypertension.
• Metabolic pathology, especially non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.
• Musculoskeletal pathology, which causes arthrosis and muscular atrophy in the elderly. It can also promote osteoporosis and fractures.
• Cancer, especially of the colon.
• Psychological pathology, especially depression, anxiety, and stress.
• A sedentary person has a much higher risk of ill-health than one who has an active lifestyle says researchers.

Some easy ways to physical exercise

A good way to exercise “unintentionally” is to include it in our activities of daily living.

1. Doing housework is good physical exercise.

Example: using the broom instead of the vacuum cleaner. But many other activities can incorporate physical exercise in your day to day life.

• Before or after lunch or dinner, it can be convenient to take a walk. First, it can be 10 minutes, then it can be progressively lengthened up to 30.
• The exercise bike or any gym equipment may be suitable for exercising at home.
• Leave the remote control next to the TV such you can get up every time you want to change the channel. And if you are thirsty, get up to get a glass of water, instead of asking someone to get it for you.

2. At work

It is not healthy to maintain the same posture for more than 20 minutes at work, whether in front of a computer or behind a counter.

If you have a job that requires movement or physical activity, congratulations, but if you have a sedentary job, for example, in front of a computer, there are also ways of not sitting down for hours.

• If you are all in the same office avoid if possible, emails, and phone calls. Walk up to your colleague for a chat.
• Don’t use the elevator to go up and downstairs
• Go for a short walk with colleagues during lunch break.
• Get on or off the bus a few stops before or after and walk until you get to your destination.
• Consistency is a good ally for exercise. Write down a little agenda the day you really want to exercise.

Recommended read: 6 best exercises to loose weight while at home

3.  Leisure

Free time is a good time to stay active and have fun.

• Plan vacations or weekends that include hiking, alone, with family or friends.
• Do things that are not done the rest of the year: swimming, cycling, running, walking.
• For those who like it, dancing is a fun and a healthy way to stay in shape.
• On the beach, you can play paddles, or hike and run, or go pedaling, or hike the waves, instead of just lying down.

4. Shopping

• It is always better to get around on foot than by car. If it is inevitable to take the car, try to park a little far from the place you are going to, such you can walk for a little while.

Conclusion

If a sedentary lifestyle is closely related to ill-health, it can be said that incorporating physical exercise in our day to day living, lengthens life and improves its quality.