Lack of exercise blamed on busy lifestyles

As new research reveals two out of three Britons fail to get the recommended 30 mins of exercise a day, fitness expert Matt Roberts offers some tips on fitting a workout into your daily routine...

Two out of three Britons don't get the recommended 30 minutes of physical activity a day, research has revealed.

Nearly half of adults (44 per cent) are simply ‘too busy' to exercise, says the survey of 2,000 by the British Heart Foundation.

Although three quarters of those questioned consider themselves healthy, 93 per cent confess to having at least one health sin such as eating takeaways regularly, binge drinking, not eating enough fruit and vegetables and smoking.

Dr Mike Knapton, BHF director of prevention and care, said: ‘It appears the adult population has a disturbingly indifferent attitude towards exercise and how to lead a healthy lifestyle.'

Fitness expert Matt Roberts says: ‘The best way I have found to deal with the bad days is to apply the football manager's cliché of ‘taking one match at a time', or, in this case, one week. By treating each week as its own individual challenge, exercise is easier to plan and focus on, and a bad day becomes part of a short-term crisis rather than an insurmountable long-term problem.'

Try writing a weekly schedule of the exercise goals you need to complete - your daily commute is even an option to introduce exercise. If you live close enough to work, you can cycle or walk. Try to get out for a brisk 30-minute walk at lunchtime. When done regularly, walking provides an adequate cardio workout.

Do you have any smart tricks to fit exercise into your daily routine? Share them below...

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