Physical activity and health

We all know that exercise is a vital part of keeping healthy – it keeps our blood flowing, our heart strong.

So why do so many of us avoid it? It might be because we associate exercise with long, boring hours at the gym on the treadmill or on the rowing machines. If the gym really isn’t your cup of tea, find a form of exercise you love doing and which doesn’t feel like a chore!

If you love nothing better than a gossip with a good friend, why not go walking together? It costs nothing so is perfect if you’re feeling cash-strapped, and it will burn off around 250 calories per hour – the same as a chocolate bar.

Stepping it up a gear to a jog will allow you to lose between 400 to 650 calories per hour – working off the calories you’d get from a hamburger meal. You’ll need a decent pair of running shoes, but once you’ve made the initial investment it’ll cost you nothing to start pounding the streets.

Swimming is another excellent way to keep healthy and in shape. If you’re a student, you’ll get concessional rates at local pools, and you’ll burn off about 460 calories an hour – the same as two pints of strong lager.

Exercising with friends is also great way to get the benefits without it feeling like too much of a chore. How about going to a Zumba class with a friend at your nearest leisure centre? These Latin-inspired dance fitness classes are good fun and will have you working really hard while enjoying yourself. You could lose 500 calories in an hour – equivalent to a plate of spaghetti bolognaise with garlic bread.

You could also try badminton, squash, football or netball to get your heart racing, or maybe kickboxing, skipping, cycling or dancing. Whatever you choose, make sure that it’s something you enjoy – and you should start noticing a difference in a matter of weeks!