{"id":200,"date":"2026-09-27T18:20:24","date_gmt":"2026-09-27T18:20:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/27\/do-these-two-things-to-get-a-head-start-on-everyone-trying-to-become-fitter\/"},"modified":"2026-09-27T18:20:24","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T18:20:24","slug":"do-these-two-things-to-get-a-head-start-on-everyone-trying-to-become-fitter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/27\/do-these-two-things-to-get-a-head-start-on-everyone-trying-to-become-fitter\/","title":{"rendered":"Do these two things to get a head start on everyone trying to become fitter"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"main\">\n<div id=\"mos-4a4687f2-4cc3-41a4-b50a-78d21deb9216\" style=\"display: contents;\">\n<div class=\"bookmark-experience\" id=\"bookmark-modal-0337882e4312M1rt16mu2gZ443\">\n<div class=\"modal\" role=\"dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" aria-labelledby=\"bookmark-headline\">\n    <button class=\"close-btn\" type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Close\" onclick=\"this.closest('.bookmark-experience').style.display='none'\"><br \/>\n      <span class=\"close-btn__icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><br \/>\n    <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"logo-row\">\n      <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/MOS+prompts\/Independent+Membership+White.png\" alt=\"Independent Membership\" class=\"logo-premium-image\"\/><\/div>\n<p class=\"body-text\">Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today.<\/p>\n<p>        <a href=\"\/subscribe\/app?regSourceMethod=Bookmarks\" class=\"subscribe-link\" target=\"_parent\">Join today<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"login-copy\">\n      Already a member?<br \/>\n      <a href=\"#\" class=\"login-link login-trigger\" external-event=\"openLogin\">Log in<\/a>\n    <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"hydrate-root sc-1ihz57b-0\" data-component=\"Newsletter\" data-loading=\"lazy\" data-theme-name=\"independent\">\n<div data-theme-wrapper=\"independent\" style=\"display:contents\">\n<aside class=\"sc-y4bm30-0 jwWhkK newsletter-component sc-1ge0fwe-1\" data-newsletter-key=\"receiveWellness\">\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-2 kcLSBk\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletters\/wellEnough1_1.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Well Enough\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE\"\/><\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-1 inRDZn\">\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-3\">\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-4 hfveGa\">\n<p><h3 class=\"sc-y4bm30-5 sc-y4bm30-6 fvoxRM cLEJmn\">Get the Well Enough newsletter with Harry Bullmore for tips on living a healthier, happier and longer life<\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"sc-y4bm30-5 sc-y4bm30-8 fvoxRM iTZFOX\">Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore<\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"sc-y4bm30-5 sc-y4bm30-7 fvoxRM iGYpOF\">Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p><svg class=\"sc-eaj12q-0 loKJGs sc-culv3z-0 eifaJK sc-1ix0cah-0 PYnPb sc-y4bm30-10 fUEDPX\" viewbox=\"0 0 32 32\"><use href=\"#600f53465147d717\"\/><\/svg><\/div>\n<div class=\"sc-y4bm30-2 kcLSBk sc-y4bm30-9 iQYNfz\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/static-assets\/images\/newsletters\/wellEnough1_1.png\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Well Enough\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"sc-1aeoivu-0 DDhLc\">L<\/span>ast week\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/health-and-fitness\/why-not-fit-healthy-exercise-environment-b3052609.html?lid=sqnmmvvu9x04\">newsletter<\/a> was uncharacteristically bleak by my standards, discussing how staying fit in our modern environment is like swimming upstream.<\/p>\n<p>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\u2019t spend freely on fun activities and adventures.<\/p>\n<p>In the days after writing last week\u2019s entry, I scribbled down a phrase I thought might be relevant: \u201cYou can\u2019t change the weather, but you can choose to put on a coat.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-1sos1n8-0 fzDcOC\">\n<h2><strong><em>Sign up for the Well Enough newsletter <\/em><\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/newsletters\"><strong><em>here<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p>In other words, it\u2019s 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\u2019 days. If we want change, the onus is, for now, on us \u2013 and there are a few things we can do. <\/p>\n<p>That is the theme of this week\u2019s newsletter.<\/p>\n<p>For most of us, our mission to stay fit and healthy is hampered by our environment. It\u2019s hard to stay active when you\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n<p>To succeed, we need to manipulate our environment. This doesn\u2019t mean overhauling our entire routine, but rather tweaking existing features to benefit our health.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brunel.ac.uk\/news-and-events\/news\/articles\/Sitting-for-long-stretches-raises-heart-and-diabetes-risks?lid=737ez1tlt5y4\">Research from Brunel University<\/a> 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\u2019t \u2013 even if they exercised.<\/p>\n<p>Dr Daniel Bailey led this research, and hypothesised that we might have \u201cmetabolic switches that help regulate blood sugar, glucose levels and cholesterol levels\u201d. Any muscular activity, such as standing, switches them on. Staying still for a long time switches them off. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cSome studies show the threshold is somewhere between seven and 10 hours of sitting per day being too much,\u201d Dr Bailey tells me. \u201cThat\u2019s where your risk of early mortality and several different diseases really starts to increase.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>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 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/health-and-fitness\/exercise-snacking-workouts-heart-health-b2859776.html?lid=dwt1abl440u1\">exercise snacks<\/a> \u2013 digestible chunks of movement interspersed throughout your day \u2013 or simply standing up and moving around whenever there\u2019s the chance to do so. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have a timer on my phone and, when it goes off, I will do something,\u201d says independent sport and exercise scientist Dr Ash Cox. \u201cThat might be 10\u201315 squats, a few press-ups or getting out and getting some steps in at a decent intensity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If this timed approach to exercise snacking doesn\u2019t work for you, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/health-and-fitness\/sally-gunnell-mobility-daily-trick-b2827375.html?lid=url6b98gfdux\">Olympic champion Sally Gunnell<\/a> 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\u2019s intro or walk while taking a phone call.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not about perfection, it\u2019s about movement becoming part of your life,\u201d she says. \u201cDoing this regularly can add hundreds of extra strength-boosting movements into each week.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As for diet, the key is making nutritious foods the easy option. <em>Atomic Habits<\/em> 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\u2019s Behaviour Change Wheel states that an action occurs when a person has the capability, opportunity and motivation to perform it.<\/p>\n<p>My solution isn\u2019t perfect, but it\u2019s the best I have. Go to a supermarket and buy your favourite nourishing foods; fruits, vegetables, fish, things with recognisable ingredients lists. (I\u2019m always amazed how many people list things like mango or blueberries among their favourite foods, yet rarely actually buy them.)<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>With this approach, I\u2019ve found these more nutritious foods quickly become the first thing I grab when I feel peckish. Why? Because I\u2019m short on time and it\u2019s the easy option.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>As Sally says above, the aim here isn\u2019t perfection. We\u2019re just trying to find ways to do things we know are good for us on a more regular basis.<\/p>\n<p>Over time, I\u2019ve found these behaviours actually become rather enjoyable and leave you feeling remarkably good \u2013 a lunchtime walk and a few bits of fruit are now staples in my days that I actively look forward to.<\/p>\n<p>When something feels good, we do more of it. And before you know it, you\u2019ll likely feel happier, healthier and have a newfound appreciation for apples (just trust me on this one).<\/p>\n<p><h2><strong>Get the Well Enough newsletter<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-awdjp1-2 cbpRGD sc-awdjp1-3 image align-center\">\n<figure class=\"sc-1cbdeug-0 cXcwgU\">\n<div data-gallery-length=\"2\" class=\"sc-awdjp1-0 jMjEmc\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/02\/03\/14\/53\/Well-Enough-Harry-3_2.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/02\/03\/14\/53\/Well-Enough-Harry-3_2.png?quality=75&amp;width=320&amp;auto=webp 320w, https:\/\/static.independent.co.uk\/2026\/02\/03\/14\/53\/Well-Enough-Harry-3_2.png?quality=75&amp;width=640&amp;auto=webp 640w\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Get the Well Enough newsletter with Harry Bullmore\" class=\"sc-1mc30lb-0 ggpMaE inline-gallery-btn\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"sc-1cbdeug-1 sc-1cbdeug-3 YlsWU hgzWpY\">Get the Well Enough newsletter with Harry Bullmore<span class=\"sc-1cbdeug-7 gjqsiM\"> <!-- -->(<!-- -->The Independent<!-- -->)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>To receive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/topic\/well-enough\"><em>Well Enough<\/em><\/a><em> with Harry Bullmore<\/em>, simply enter your email address in the box at the top of this page.<\/p>\n<p>You can also head to our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/newsletters\">newsletter preference centre to sign up for the email.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Once there, all you need to do is press the \u2018+\u2019 button and enter your email address to sign up.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a member? Log in Get the Well Enough newsletter with Harry Bullmore for tips on living a healthier, happier and longer life Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Get the Well Enough [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":201,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,3,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-200","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-food-nutrition","category-health","category-lifestyle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=200"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/201"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=200"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=200"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/modernfitnessguide.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=200"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}