Dangers of Inactivity: Kick-start Your Active Lifestyle

According to a new report published today by the respected medical journal Lancet, a lack of exercise can cause more deaths than smoking. The report said that physical inactivity in approximately one third of adults causes around 5.3 million premature deaths a year, which is more than the 5.1 million deaths that smoking causes. This comes as quite a wake-up call to those leading sedentary lifestyles and proves how important an active and healthy lifestyle is to increase your longevity.

 

According to a new report published today by the respected medical journal Lancet, a lack of exercise can cause more deaths than smoking. The report said that physical inactivity in approximately one third of adults causes around 5.3 million premature deaths a year, which is more than the 5.1 million deaths that smoking causes. This comes as quite a wake-up call to those leading sedentary lifestyles and proves how important an active and healthy lifestyle is to increase your longevity.

Failure to involve at least 150 minutes per week of simple exercise such as walking and cycling, the study says, significantly increases your risk of developing illnesses ranging from heart disease to type 2 diabetes. An active lifestyle can be started by something just as simple as cycling 15 minutes to and from work each day, and the benefits can be life-changing.

The lead researcher in the study commented saying that the report showed a new way of thinking was required to combat this pandemic. This comes in the build-up to the Olympics, ironically where a large number of spectators will be inactive whilst watching. However, could watching elite athletes kick-start a change and inspire us to leave the sofa and be more active.

The inactive 'fly and flop' style holidays people go on which goes hand-in-hand with sedentary lifestyles could be the perfect thing to change. Nowadays we want a sense of adventure and challenge on holidays in comparison to the traditional inactive breaks we have been so used to going on. Holidays shouldn't be void of exercise, tennis, cycling and yoga which can be a great way to re-discover or continue your healthy and active lifestyle, whilst having fun.  Furthermore, taking a kickboxing class on the beach may be the perfect opportunity to revive your motivation to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Regular exercise can help you to tone up, boost your immune system and improve your mood. So the question really arises, why not start now? Here are our top 5 tips to kick-start your new active lifestyle: