20 Million Brits ‘Physically Inactive’ and How We Can Change

Almost a third of the British population is now physically inactive, according to a new report by the British Heart Foundation (BHF). More than 20 million Brits are not getting enough exercise and both their bodies and the NHS are paying for it.

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Known as the, Physical Inactivity and Sedentary Behaviour Report 2017, BHF researchers wanted to look into our nation’s fitness levels and its impact on our health. Unfortunately, the results weren’t overly optimistic. Not only are 20 million Brits physically inactive but they are also 35% more likely to succumb to a fatal cardiovascular disease.

Our physical activity levels were measured against the Government’s recommended moderately intense 150 minutes of physical exercise per week. The results varied across the nation with some areas coming out far worse than others.

The North West of England came last, with 47% of the population, 2.6 million, failing to reach their target. Northern Ireland, Wales, the North East and London weren’t far behind either, all hitting above 40%. Scotland, South West England and South East England were the ‘winners’, with an average of 36% of physically inactive persons.

Our female population lost out to the men in this study, with 11.8 million women not getting enough exercise compared to the 8.3 million men.

The study also found that we are all spending far too much time sitting, with an average man spending a 5th of his life in a chair. That’s 78 days a year for men, with women not far behind with 74 days annually!

These figures are alarming as regardless of how much exercise you do, those who sit down for large amounts of time are increasing their chances of cardiovascular disease. The average Brit spends nearly 30 hours a week sitting down, watching TV, that’s 64 days a year! This on top of the growing number of office jobs that require almost all working hours at a desk, we are heading toward a national crisis.

Our nation’s inactivity is costing the NHS an estimated £1.2billion a year, with 1 in 6 deaths being caused by coronary heart disease in the UK. So, it’s safe to say we all need to make a change, here are some tips on how to get active and improve your health!

Your Commute to Work

I know it’s far easier to roll out of bed, straight into the car and head off to work. Yet, your body will thank you if you drop the car keys and pick up your running shoes or head off on your bike each morning. There’s no excuses now as the weather is warming up and the mornings and evenings are bright and cheerful!

Check to see if your company has an ‘exercise to work’ initiative, you may earn more money or be given discounts on top of the range sports products!

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Join a Sports Team or Class

Remember how much fun group sports were back in school, from summer football games to netball to badminton and basketball. We all seemed to have such a zest for exercise back then but for some reason that is beaten out of us when we reach adulthood. It’s time to recapture that youthful energy once again!

Even if you didn’t enjoy sport back in school, it’s a lot different when you are an adult. Everyone is there to have a good time and keep healthy rather than show off and improve their popularity!  

If you aren’t too keen on joining a team then go ahead and sign up to a local class. You could learn how to trampoline, improve your flexibility with yoga or finally conquer the swimming pool!

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Lunchtime Workouts

Forget about sitting at your desk and devouring your favourite meal deal, grab a co-worker and head off for some exercise!

It could be something simple like a brisk walk in a local park or heading off to a nearby gym for a lunchtime class. There’s a lot you can do in 60 minutes, so make the most of them!

Most people avoid any midday workouts as they fear they’ll come back to work feeling weary and tired. Yet, you’ll likely experience the exact opposite. Instead, you’ll get back to the office feeling refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the day!

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Supplements

Exercise is absolutely vital in improving our overall health and reducing our chances of developing cardiovascular diseases. We can however, always go that one step extra in achieving greater health.

Supplements provide your body with extra vitamins and minerals that you otherwise can’t produce yourself or can’t get enough of from outside sources. They can therefore be key when trying to improve your health as well as your fitness/activity levels.

A great supplement that everyone should be taking is some form of multivitamin. They provide you with a boost of vitamins and supplements to get your body healthy and happy. For example, us Brits struggle to get enough vitamin D and calcium in our bodies due to the climate.

As we are focusing on the topic of physical activity today, we recommend taking the All in a Day Multivitamin Sport. It contains natural active ingredients that increases stamina, supports muscle and bone health as well as generally improving your day to day wellbeing!

Another supplement that is highly recommended across the UK is omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have found that fish oil can help lower blood pressure and reduce triglyceride levels, fats that can cause serious health conditions. Our diets however do not lend themselves kindly to the suggested daily 500mg consumption of omega-3, so we must get our fix from elsewhere!

The Super Omega 3 + Q10 is an easy to take, capsule based supplement that will provide you with all your omega-3 needs each day! Not only does it use the finest, natural fish oils, it also contains coenzyme Q10. It is a fat-soluble substance that helps provide key organs energy to do their job. Once you hit 50, your body stops producing coenzyme Q10 by almost 60%. The Super Omega 3 + Q10 will therefore provide you both with your daily omega-3 and coenzyme Q10!

At Sensilab we want all of our customers to be and feel healthy and happy. That’s why this Easter we have decided to give you all 25% off any product you like! Just use promocode EASTER25 today!

If you have any questions or just fancy a chat, please get in contact with us on our social media channels!

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