GETTING FIT - THE EASY WAY

Are you feeling a bit physically inactive after the summer? Follow our easy tips to get moving—you won’t even need a pair of trainers.

■   Take the stairs. Making several trips up and down a few flights every day makes your heart beat faster, improving cardiovascular fitness. Plus, you’ll strengthen the gluteal muscles in your bottom.

■   Stay upright. Don’t automatically head for a seat on the bus or train, or sit down at a party. Studies are showing that being too sedentary is bad for long-term health—it may up your risk of some cancers and diabetes. Stand when you can.

■   Play with the kids. Hide and seek, football and Wii Fit games will benefit both older and younger generations. Active computer games have even been shown to lower blood glucose in people with diabetes.

■   Be mobile on the phone. Use a phone call as an excuse to get up and chat while you’re on the go.

■   Go shopping. Walking around the shops can burn about 200 calories an hour, much more than you’ll shed surfing for bargains on the net.

■   Have an activity break every hour. If you spend hours at a time sitting down, get up regularly and walk around for one to three minutes. 

■  Buy a pedometer. It’s easy to overestimate how much activity you engage in, but this will show you how close you are to 10,000 steps a day—the number recommended for good health.