Exercise is physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive for the purpose of conditioning any part of the body. Exercise is utilized to improve health, maintain fitness and is important as a means of physical rehabilitation.

As we all know, exercise is useful in preventing or treating coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, weakness, diabetes, obesity, and depression. It can be in the form of stretching, toning and aerobic exercise.

• Stretching your joints through their full range of motion is one aspect of exercise important for increasing or maintaining good joint function.
• Strengthening exercises provide appropriate resistance to your muscles to increase endurance and strength.
• Aerobic exercises are individualized to improve your cardiovascular system.

 A well-balanced exercise program can improve general health, build endurance, and delay many of the effects of ageing. Exercise will not only improve your physical health, it will also enhance your emotional well-being.

I find it helpful to think of exercise in a different way from the way you are probably currently think about it. I classify exercise as either incidental or intentional.

• Intentional exercise is what we do deliberately, a formal session such as a gym class or going for a walk.
• Incidental exercise is the exercise we get during daily activities and can be done in little bite-size chunks throughout the day. It should form the foundation of your total daily activity and can be the difference between being overweight and unfit and healthy. Engaging in more incidental activity will boost your daily energy expenditure and improve your metabolism.

If you are currently doing no exercise at all, focusing on your incidental exercise is a great place to begin! This may mean changing some of your lifestyle habits and incorporating these new habits into your daily routine.
You’ll be amazed at how easily you can clock up some exercise points in the ease and comfort of your daily life. Exercise doesn’t take as long as you think and it can be squeezed into your routine.
It is a fact that:

• Every stretch of your joints will improve your overall flexibility;

• Every extra contraction of your muscles will contribute to the improvement of your overall muscle tone;

• Every time you challenge your heart and lungs they will make a small adaptation for the better; and

• Your posture will improve ‘out of sight’ as you focus on increasing your activity levels.

Here are 10 different ways for you to embrace incidental exercise and feel better for it:

Purchase a pedometer
Wear it each day for a week to give you feedback on your activity levels. Aim to increase the total number of steps taken by 10 % each week. You should be aiming for somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 steps per day, depending on your current health and fitness status.

Phone calls
When speaking on your mobile or cordless phone at home, don’t just plonk yourself into a chair. Walk around with intention or do some specific leg exercises.

Walk while catching up with friends.
Instead of catching up with your friends at a local café, grab a takeaway coffee or tea and then head out for a 10 to 20 minute walk while you have a good chat.

Park Away from the Store
Park further away from the grocery store at your shopping centre when doing your weekly food shop to ensure you walk further with your heavy trolley. Just ensure the car park is safe.

Multi-task
Leave some hand weights or resistance band in the lounge for easy access while the ads are on. This way, you can add little bits of extra resistance training to your week, without having to do a full workout all the time. (check out the TV & Kettle Exercise DVD  or the Men’s Secret Shed Exercise DVD)

Cleaning Chores
Sure, your daily household duties can be a chore, but try changing your attitude and use them to your advantage? Get stuck into these chores and feel strength in every movement. Put some good music on as you mop the floor, scrub the shower cubicle or vacuum the carpets ---- and move to the rhythm. Stretch diagonally through your torso and look up with a great posture as you clean the high windows and doors.

Get outdoors
Mowing the lawn, raking the leaves, weeding and washing your car are not easy jobs. Instead of putting them off, dress in appropriate clothing for outdoor activity, get out there and get stuck in. You won’t have to worry about that 5km walk if you spend some decent time outside working in the yard.

Work on your Balance
Try standing on one leg while standing at the kitchen bench, workbench or while cleaning your teeth.

Walk the dog
Your pooch needs to walk a lot every day, so keep your best friend happy and take him or her out for a good intentional walk---not a wander! If you don’t have a dog just pretend you do!

Don't sit still
Try not to sit still for more than half an hour at a time during the day. Find an excuse to get up and move around, preferably up and down a stairwell at each interval. Remember to always hold a strong core with perfect posture as you move your body.