Make Every Drop Matter - Newsletter Issue 4

How can I get fit for summer

Leading exercise and physical activity expert, and member of Coca-Cola Health and Wellness Advisory Council Professor Andrew Hills shares some of his top tips for those who want to increase their health and fitness this summer.

Getting fit for the summer can be a daunting task, especially when we all lead busy lifestyles. Just by following the simple steps listed below, you will soon start building enough physical activity into your lifestyle to help improve your health and assist with weight management.

By participating in at least 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity per day (activity similar to brisk walking), you will also help reduce the risk of conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

1. Aim to add at least 30 minutes per day of moderate intensity physical activity to your lifestyle. If you are not doing this level of activity in your leisure time, gradually progress to this level by adding activity in periods of at least 10 minutes per day until you reach the 30 minute goal.

2. Keep track of how this amount of physical activity, along with healthy eating habits, affects your body weight. If you are maintaining your weight or have lost weight, then this may be a sufficient amount of physical activity you do. If you continue to gain weight or you fail to lose weight, then you probably need to increase physical activity. Think about increasing physical activity to 60 to 90 minutes per day.

3. If you need to progress to 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity per day to control your body weight, remember that you do not have to achieve this all at one time. Fitting in multiple periods of activity at least 10 minutes in duration may be a more manageable way to reach at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day.

4. Remember that physical activity does not mean you can eat as much as you want with no control. Rather, keep in mind that for every 420 kilojoules you eat, you will need to exercise for approximately 15 to 20 minutes to burn the kilojoules off.