5 simple ways you can stay physically active

Staying active is an important part of life and regardless of your gender, build or age!. It doesn’t matter if if you are well into your 80s or just becoming a teenager, physical activity will have positive effect on your wellbeing. Don’t believe us? Research has shown that physically active people commonly live a longer life than those who don’t. With that in mind, here are 5 simple ways to stay physically active.

Gardening

Gardening is an excellent way to stay fit and active. It doesn’t matter it it’s just a few minutes or a full day, gardening can really give our muscles a good stretch.

Go for a Walk

Walking is an easy, relaxing and inexpensive way of staying active. Walking for an hour everyday in the fresh air can easily get your heart pumping and will induce your natural endorphins, which is great for wellbeing.

Yoga

Yoga and its many forms improve the body’s strength and conditioning. It’s an exercise that’s beneficial for a body of any age, gender or build and can be enjoyed almost anywhere, with a yoga mat. YouTube is a great source of yoga videos if you’re not feeling up to going to a local class, there are also some great chair based exercises to try if you don’t fancy mat based yoga.

Keep Your Mind Active

A fit body needs an active mind; puzzles and crosswords are a great way to keep our minds active. Most daily papers feature a Sudoku or crossword puzzle for a quick challenge. Video games are another great source of cognitive activity as they provide an increasing level of challenge that has a proven record of improving cognitive ability. Recent research has also shown that knitting and model building help to stimulate grey matter long into old age.

Swimming

Swimming provides a full body workout as many swimming strokes require the use of multiple muscles. What makes swimming even more beneficial is that water resistance makes the body work harder, so 30 minutes of swimming is equivalent to 45 minutes of exercise on land! If you plan to experience the full benefits of swimming aim for three 30 minute sessions of swimming per week.

No matter what our age, exercise not only keeps us fit but also fuels our endorphins - the chemical responsible for causing positive feelings. This doesn't mean you should spend every day at the gym but a conscious effort to remain active will result in a happier, healthier and longer life. Let us know how you stay active in the comments below.