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Last week’s newsletter was uncharacteristically bleak by my standards, discussing how staying fit in our modern environment is like swimming upstream.
Less nourishing food options tend to be more affordable, convenient and heavily marketed than nutritious alternatives; movement is barely necessary in most situations; and money is pretty tricky to come by right now, so we can’t spend freely on fun activities and adventures.
In the days after writing last week’s entry, I scribbled down a phrase I thought might be relevant: “You can’t change the weather, but you can choose to put on a coat.”
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In other words, it’s going to take a while for us to persuade stores to stock affordable fruit and veg front and centre, or rally businesses to find ways of weaving more movement into desk workers’ days. If we want change, the onus is, for now, on us – and there are a few things we can do.
That is the theme of this week’s newsletter.
For most of us, our mission to stay fit and healthy is hampered by our environment. It’s hard to stay active when you’re being bombarded with emails all day, chained to your desk, then snacking on practical packets of food while tapping away at a laptop with your free hand. Then, come 5pm, your nervous system feels so fried that the prospect of a post-work workout feels tantamount to summiting Everest.
To succeed, we need to manipulate our environment. This doesn’t mean overhauling our entire routine, but rather tweaking existing features to benefit our health.
Research from Brunel University found that those who sat for large chunks of the day were more likely to have higher body fat levels and several worse health markers than those who didn’t – even if they exercised.
Dr Daniel Bailey led this research, and hypothesised that we might have “metabolic switches that help regulate blood sugar, glucose levels and cholesterol levels”. Any muscular activity, such as standing, switches them on. Staying still for a long time switches them off.
“Some studies show the threshold is somewhere between seven and 10 hours of sitting per day being too much,” Dr Bailey tells me. “That’s where your risk of early mortality and several different diseases really starts to increase.”
So the first thing to remedy in our routines is significant chunks of sitting down. If we spend a lot of time at our desk, we could look to swap it for a standing desk, or even invest in an under-desk treadmill. Free alternatives include exercise snacks – digestible chunks of movement interspersed throughout your day – or simply standing up and moving around whenever there’s the chance to do so.
“I have a timer on my phone and, when it goes off, I will do something,” says independent sport and exercise scientist Dr Ash Cox. “That might be 10–15 squats, a few press-ups or getting out and getting some steps in at a decent intensity.”
If this timed approach to exercise snacking doesn’t work for you, Olympic champion Sally Gunnell recommends linking certain activities to regular cues. For example, do calf raises while waiting for the kettle to boil, perform shoulder rolls and side bends before answering an email, do a few mobility moves during a TV show’s intro or walk while taking a phone call.
“It’s not about perfection, it’s about movement becoming part of your life,” she says. “Doing this regularly can add hundreds of extra strength-boosting movements into each week.”
As for diet, the key is making nutritious foods the easy option. Atomic Habits author James Clear writes about new behaviours needing to be obvious, attractive, easy and satisfying if we want to adopt them in the long run. Susan Michie’s Behaviour Change Wheel states that an action occurs when a person has the capability, opportunity and motivation to perform it.
My solution isn’t perfect, but it’s the best I have. Go to a supermarket and buy your favourite nourishing foods; fruits, vegetables, fish, things with recognisable ingredients lists. (I’m always amazed how many people list things like mango or blueberries among their favourite foods, yet rarely actually buy them.)
When you get home, pre-cook, chop or portion a few of these foods then store them at the front of your fridge. If you can leave the leftovers of a nourishing meal in some Tupperware, even better. Next, line your cupboards with things like dried fruits and nuts.
With this approach, I’ve found these more nutritious foods quickly become the first thing I grab when I feel peckish. Why? Because I’m short on time and it’s the easy option.
My final tip is to keep more-ish snacks out of the house. If you do find yourself in dire need of these items, as so many of us do, you have to walk to the shop to go and get it, adding some extra movement into your week.
As Sally says above, the aim here isn’t perfection. We’re just trying to find ways to do things we know are good for us on a more regular basis.
Over time, I’ve found these behaviours actually become rather enjoyable and leave you feeling remarkably good – a lunchtime walk and a few bits of fruit are now staples in my days that I actively look forward to.
When something feels good, we do more of it. And before you know it, you’ll likely feel happier, healthier and have a newfound appreciation for apples (just trust me on this one).
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