Get fit from your office!

With summer just around the corner (we hope), the fear of tiny tops and shorts, or even worse- the dreaded bikini- is ever looming. 

If, like a lot of people, you are sat behind a desk for the majority of your day, it is difficult to find the time to get fit and stay active. There are however ways to improve the levels of physical activity in your day to day life without making massive lifestyle changes or having to sign up for costly gym memberships.

Try and walk or cycle to work or if that is not possible, get off a stop earlier on the bus or train and walk the last part of your route. You could even find a carpark a bit further away from your office if you drive to work.

Stand while talking on the phone and try walking over to your colleagues desk to talk to them rather than calling them.

Take the stairs instead of the lift of escalator.

Go for a walk in your lunch break. You could use a tracking device such as the Fitbit Ultra to keep track of your progress and even share with friends and family online. Build up gradually to walking at least 10,000 steps a day. Set goals and reward yourself when you reach them.

And just remember- small changes in your daily routine can add up to big changes in your health!  

Get fitter with your favourite tunes!

Everyone knows that music can have an effect on your mood- it can cheer you up, make you cry, evoke a memory or make your feet unable to stay still! It has even been known to bring people out of comas!

But can music help you to get fit?

In a recent study carried out by The Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool, John Moores University, it was shown that listening to music during exercise increases the efficiency of a workout and improves stamina and motivation.

The study tested the effect that different types of music, or no music at all, had on a group of healthy cyclists. The results showed that increasing the tempo of the music improved the distance covered as well as the power and pedal cadence achieved.

So if you need to evoke a little enthusiasm while you exercise, create a playlist of motivating tunes that will get your heart pumping! Experiment with different types of up-tempo music and see what works for you! You could also invest in some great portable speakers to get you going during your daily workout.

This Deadmau5 portable speaker may be small but it packs quite a punch and it not only looks amazing with its light up LED eyes, but the quality of sound produced by this compact little speaker will blow you away! 

How to burn off the excesses of Easter!

After a long Easter weekend of roast dinners and more chocolate than you would usually eat in a year, you may be feeling a bit lethargic and bloated. With the summer just around the corner it is time to burn off those Easter eggs and shake yourself out of this sugar slump!

Start slowly if you are not used to doing a lot of exercise. The last thing that you want to do is injure yourself on the first day of your fitness kick and end up in bed for a week! Start by incorporating exercise into your everyday life. Exercise doesn’t have to mean jumping jacks and sprinting- anything that raises your heart rate above its normal pace for a sustained period of time will help with your overall fitness. Small bursts of exercise throughout the day will also help to increase your metabolism and get that chocolate bunny-bulge burning!

Try parking further away from your office or get off the bus a stop early and incorporate some brisk walking into your daily commute. Take the stairs not the escalator or lift and instead of browsing the internet in your lunch break, take a little walk around a local park. You could even try and get a few of your colleagues together and start a walking club, or do a quick exercise video in an empty office. Not only is exercise good for your body, but it has also been proven to have a positive effect on your mental state. Doing some exercise in the middle of your workday could help you to be less stressed and more productive too! It’s a win-win situation!

If you need a bit more motivation, you should invest in the Fitbit Ultra. This clever little gadget records your exercise all day and uploads it wirelessly to your smart device. Using a free app you can record how much exercise you do on a daily basis, how many calories burned and consumed and track your overall progress. You can even get advice and support from an online community who will encourage you to achieve your goals and keep you motivated!