Physical Activity

By Transform | 28^th February 2024 | The Blog, Lifestyle

Benefits of physical activity include:

• Activity reduces your risk of many illnesses including heart disease and diabetes.
• Reduces your risk of some types of cancer.
• Can improve your mood by giving you an endorphin hit (the ‘happy’ hormone).
• Great for your bone health – reduces risk of broken bones and osteoarthritis Helps manage your weight.

Important:

If you have a balloon: avoid intensive exercise for 1 week after balloon placement. You may need to avoid intense aerobics and jumping for the duration of the balloon as these could cause nausea. If you have a gastric band/sleeve/bypass: for 2 weeks post-surgery stick to gentle exercise only, and no intensive exercise (e.g., weightlifting, aerobics) until 6 weeks post-surgery. Increasing activity levels can help you to burn more calories which can help you lose weight. Here is an example of the calories burned during different activities:  

How many calories burned in 1 hour* by doing…

*These figures are a general guide only based on a body weight of 80kg – the more you weigh, the more calories you will burn per hour as it takes your body more energy to move around. Figures also vary depending on effort level, e.g., whether you are jogging or sprinting. 

Exercise guidelines: how much should I do?

The government recommends doing 150 minutes of exercise per week – this might sound like a lot, but it works out to only 20 minutes per day! If you work or look after children, you probably do 20 minutes of activity without even thinking about it. Also keep in mind, it doesn’t need to be in a 20minute chunk- it can be broken up into 10 min and 10min- which is very achievable in a day.  

Moderate vs vigorous activity?

Moderate activity is any exercise that makes you breathe a bit faster and increase your heart rate. A useful guideline is that you should be able to talk, but not sing! Examples are walking, jogging and yoga.  

Vigorous activity is more intense than moderate activity and brings with it even more health benefits. Vigorous activity makes your breathing heavier and faster, and you won’t be able to hold a conversation. Examples are running, Zumba, swimming and cycling.

How to increase activity:

• Work at a desk? Try to get out for a walk once a day to stretch your legs and clear your head.
• Take the bus? Consider walking to the next stop and catching the bus there (use a pedometer or step counter to set goals and reach them – first 3000 steps per day, then 5000, then 10,000).
• Busy day at work? Try following a 10min yoga video to unwind before bed.
• Limited mobility or recovering from an injury? Try out some seated exercises to boost your mood: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/strength-and-flexibility-exercises/sittingexercises/
• Absolutely hate working out? Try something new! Cardio doesn’t have to be running – it can be swimming, hula hooping, belly dancing, boxing, karate…
• Want to be social? You could join a sports club or a gym, do a dance class with friends, or go for walks with your family.
• Prefer to go solo? Try online workout videos or DVDs to do at home.
• And remember: every day you burn calories doing activities around the house: cleaning, cooking, gardening, childcare, laundry…
• Getting a friend to join you is always helpful as you will have a buddy to encourage you on the days you feel ‘flat’.

In summary…

Exercising has so many benefits and can be very effective when used alongside other weight loss strategies. It can be a tricky habit to get into – try to make it part of your weekly routine and set reminders on your phone or calendar to help you stick to it. You could also exercise with friends or family for accountability. Try to find something you enjoy! Don’t be afraid to try new things – everyone starts off as a beginner.  And go at your own pace – it’s much better to increase activity gradually and get used to it, than to rush into exercise and struggle to keep going. Hopefully this will have given you some ideas and inspiration! Remember every activity counts, so do what you can!