Get moving: start with smaller steps

Beth Furness - Assistant Nutritionist | 04 Jan, 2025

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If you’re new to exercise, it might feel daunting to know where to start. But remember, small steps count too – they’re the most important ones to help you move more and make a big difference!

The key to improving your health through activity is to be less sedentary. While regular exercise is fantastic, simply spending more time on your feet can work wonders for your overall health and support weight loss.

Check out our list of ideas for getting more movement into your day.

How to sit less

How to sit less

  • Set an alarm to get up from your desk every hour and walk around for a few minutes
  • Invest in a standing desk for work
  • Stand while on the bus, train, tram
  • Get off the bus a stop earlier to walk 10 mins instead of sit for 5 more
  • Walk to the shop, school, train station or work rather than driving
  • Cycle to work instead of driving
  • Create extra cleaning jobs around the house
  • Walk around while on the phone instead of sitting
  • Have stand-up meetings instead of sit-down ones at work
Extra movement ideas

Extra movement ideas

  • Add an extra 1,000 steps to your day
  • Always take the stairs when there is the option to
  • Walk around while brushing your teeth
  • Use a toilet on a different floor instead of the one closest
  • Park further away from the shop you're visiting
  • Add in a cleaning job at home every day
  • Make a lunchtime walk non-negotiable
  • Meet a friend for a walking coffee catch-up
10 Day Challenge

Exercise ideas

  • Try a new home workout
  • Try a resistance training activity
  • Explore a new outdoor activity
  • Try a fitness class in your local area
  • Have a go at yoga or pilates
  • Aim for one extra exercise session each week
Tips for those more sedentary

Tips for those more sedentary

  • Aim to do some chair-based exercises each day (read our article on this topic here, or you can find lots of helpful videos on YouTube.)
  • Try to do 500 more steps than you usually do around the house or outdoors
  • Use an arm bike at a local gym
  • Aim to avoid sitting for more than an hour at a time – stand up and stretch a little

Nutritionist Beth Furness (ANutr), holding a BSc in Nutrition and Health, is deeply dedicated to applying evidence-based knowledge to all aspects of nutrition. Her passion lies in fostering healthy relationships with food, ensuring that everyone maintains a balanced and sustainable approach to nutrition.

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