The health service has shared a helpful tip for anyone who is trying to lose weight
People trying to lose weight could benefit from an NHS tip to increase daily movement. When it comes to losing weight, people need to expend more energy than they consume. The NHS website explains: “To lose weight, we need to use more energy than we take in, which creates a calorie deficit. When we’re in a calorie deficit, our body relies on its fat stores for fuel.”
Daily movement is also important because it is linked to numerous physical and mental health benefits. But sometimes, it can feel tricky to incorporate movement into busy days. The NHS Better Health website offers many tips for people trying to be more active.
According to the NHS, even ten minutes of movement each day can make a difference. A webpage dedicated to losing weight explains: “Changing what you eat can help you lose weight, but moving more can help you keep the weight off.
“Getting more active brings many other health benefits too. Even ten minutes a day can make a difference.” It also links to more pages, sharing tips to get people more active in their daily life and to help them improve other areas of their life, such as sleep quality.
The NHS points out that there are lots of ways to increase activity in daily life; you don’t necessarily need to be sporty. Instead, people who take the bus regularly could change their route so they get off a stop or two earlier. Motorists could also choose a parking spot a little further away from their destination than usual in order to boost their step count.
The guidance said: “Start small by finding easy ways to fit more activity into your daily life and build up from there. For example: Stand rather than sit when you can, like on train or bus journeys, or try getting off the bus a stop or two early and walking the rest of the way.
“If you have to drive somewhere, park a little further away than you need to – even just the far end of the car park adds a little extra activity. Take the stairs instead of the lift or walk up escalators when you get the chance. Try making the school run a school walk or school cycle a few times a week.”
The NHS also offers a range of free exercise plans to help people get moving. Along with home workout videos, which can be found online, the NHS has several apps people can download for free, such as the NHS Couch to 5K app and the NHS Active 10 app.
The NHS Couch to 5K app helps absolute beginners, from the first day they lace up their trainers through to their first 5K. There’s also support for recent Couch to 5K graduates. Meanwhile, the NHS Active 10 app enables people to track their daily walks.
Highlighting the health benefits associated with brisk walking, the NHS website said: “Sometimes overlooked as a form of exercise, walking briskly can help you build stamina, burn excess calories and make your heart healthier.
“You do not have to walk for hours. A brisk 10-minute daily walk has lots of health benefits and counts towards your 150 minutes of weekly exercise, as recommended in the physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64.”.
