May is known as the National Physical Fitness month and the GreenStones team are ready to celebrate it with our very own challenge.
If you follow us on social media you will have seen that team members have been taking part in a step challenge this month. Why? Well, there are many reasons, but you’ll have to keep reading to find out.
Physical fitness benefits include:
- Burns calories and body fat to help you maintain a healthy weight.
- Reduces the risk of health conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
- Improves muscle endurance and strengthens your joints.
- Lowers stress.
- Improves energy levels.
Mental health is extremely important and it can be impacted by the amount of physical activity your body receives. Regular exercise can relieve stress, improve sleep and even treat moderate depression as effectively as medication (but without the side effects). Following the Coronavirus pandemic we produced a blog which describes how you can support your team with their mental health.
GreenStones Step Challenge
Starting on Monday 01 May 2023 and finishing on Sunday 04 June 2023 the GreenStones team are participating in a step challenge. We’d like to think it encourages healthy habits and it helps to promote the importance of fitness. Even though this challenge will be judged individually, all those that are taking part have been motivating each other. At the end of each week team members will compare their weekly scores to see who has stepped the most. Most of our team members have a fitness watch to track their steps, but those who don’t are using a step app on their phone. This challenge is all about having fun! At the end of the challenge we will announce which five team members walked the most steps each week.
What are the advantages of exercise and how much do we need?
Walking can be a great way to exercise, whether you are walking on a treadmill, or in getting fresh air and vitamin D in the great outdoors. Alternating the speed at which you walk, for example incorporating a leisurely walk with a faster paced walk can subsequently improve your cardio and it allows you to burn more calories. Exercise can also be beneficial to the environment if you can replace the use of a car with walking or cycling which will lower your emissions.
A study which was conducted in March 2023 by a team at the University of Cambridge suggests that an 11 minute daily brisk walk can help reduce the risk of early death. “Researchers say that 11 minutes a day (75 minutes a week) of moderate-intensity physical activity (such as a brisk walk) would be sufficient to lower the risk of diseases such as heart disease, stroke and a number of cancers.” The NHS recommends that adults (19-64 years old and 65+) should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week. Here’s a quote from Dr Soren Brage who was part of the Medical Research Council unit, involved in the study “If you find the idea of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week a bit daunting, then our findings should be good news. Doing some physical activity is better than doing none. This is also a good starting position – if you find that 75 minutes a week is manageable, then you could try stepping it up gradually.”
What exercises are classed as moderate-intensity activities?
Moderate-intensity exercise are activities which require more oxygen consumption than light activities. They get your heart rate up enough to burn off three to six times (3 – < 6 METS) as much energy per minute as you would when sitting quietly. Here are some examples of moderate-intensity exercise:
- Brisk walking
- Cycling (slower than 10 miles per hour)
- Tennis (doubles)
- Dancing (slower dances such as the tango, or waltz)
- Pole dancing
- Hiking
- Basketball
- Volleyball
- Water aerobics
- Jump rope
Tips and Small Changes
Here are some tips and changes which you could incorporate in your health journey:
| Enjoyment | Choose an exercise you’ll enjoy and base it around what you want to achieve. |
| Excise with friends | Having someone to exercise with will help with motivation and accountability. It will also increase the likelihood of you sticking to an exercise plan. |
| Try smaller activities sessions | The 11 minute brisk walk study showed us you don’t need to block out an hour of your time. A couple of short activities sessions can be just as effective. |
| Lunchtime walks | A short walk during your lunch break can have a positive effect on your physical health and mental wellbeing. |
| Step challenges | Fun fitness competitions are a great way to stay healthy and it’s an opportunity to get your team members, or even your family involved. |
Follow us on all our socials (Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and Instagram) to find out which team members have won the five weekly prizes. We would also love it if you could share with us what physical activities you have completed, or what you have planned for this year?