Reduce your risk - Move more

Run, jump, swim, ride, dance – they all count!

Exercising doesn’t have to mean running marathons or mega sessions in the gym. Loads of things count, even walking. Taking the baby out in their pushchair? Exercise. Getting off the bus one stop earlier so you’ve got a bit further to walk? Exercise. Taking the stairs instead of the lift? Exercise. You can make small changes in your daily life which don’t take much time, and they all add up.

Walking briskly, even for one minute, counts as exercise. Yes, really! Suddenly getting exercise doesn’t seem so hard, does it? The NHS Active10 app helps you track the exercise you’re getting, so you can watch it all add up.

Looking for something more intense? Running is free, and all you need is some good shoes and somewhere to run! Not sure where to start? Try the NHS Couch to 5k app for bitesize training sessions to build up your running abilities.

And we know that a morning run suddenly looks a lot less appealing in the middle of winter when it’s freezing and dark. So why not arrange to exercise with a friend? You’ll be much more likely to keep it up if someone is doing it with you.

Binge a box set, or work up a sweat? Let’s be honest, a lot of the time, the box set is going to win. But no one said you can’t combine the two! You can stretch, lift weights, do yoga, or use a treadmill or exercise bike, all while catching up on your new fave show.