Why Incidental Exercise is important

Do you know what incidental exercise is?
It is the movement we do on a daily basis which is not going to the gym or fitness class. It is usually done in small amounts that add up over the day and is less structured than attending an exercise session.

Examples are: walking the dog, taking the stairs at work instead of the elevator, playing with the kids at the park, getting off the tram/train a stop earlier and walking, cleaning the house, or even standing up from your work desk during the day.

While structured exercise sessions have many benefits, being as active as possible during the day can also provide many positives. Incidental exercise can help to keep you mobile, get the blood flow happening around the body, burn energy and improve your fitness. Plus many types of incidental exercise involve getting into the outdoors which can also have a positive effect on your mental health.

Research has also found that older adults see positive effects in overall health by adding moderate-intensity incidental movement into their day. And you don’t need to put aside a lot of time from your day to undertake this type of movement.

So why not add in a few types during the day, get outdoors, and enjoy life while getting moving.