Score your own goal!

With the World Cup happening right on our doorstep, why not score your own goal and be more physically active over the next few weeks? You know you should be making a move off the couch, and you also know it will do you the power of good!

 1. Exercise will improve your mood! Everyone knows just how contagious a happy outlook can be...Get moving and watch those fabulous feel-good endorphins come out and play!

2. Look better, Feel better. Regular exercise will boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.

3. Exercise will raise those energy levels! In fact, regular physical activity makes your entire cardiovascular system work more efficiently. Big deal? You bet! When your heart and lungs do more work, they deliver oxygen rich blood and nutrients to your tissues – giving you way more energy to tackle the day!

4. Exercise wards off illnesses. Concerned about heart disease or diabetes? Hoping to prevent osteoporosis or even cancer? Exercise might be just the ticket! What’s more, people who are active are known to live longer.

5. Exercise helps you manage your weight. This one's a no-brainer. When you are physically active, you burn kilojoules. The more intense the activity, the more kilojoules you burn...and the easier it is to keep your weight under control. Exercise also regulates your appetite and sneaky food cravings.

Now that I’ve given you the WHY, here’s the HOW to exercise without the sweat or schlep...

We all know that it’s not easy to find the time to exercise before or after work. So why not move your body more throughout the day while at your desk or in your car? You probably know a few tricks already...taking the stairs, parking further away from the entrance and walking around the office are all good places to start. Here are a few more options to keep up that activity during the day:

• Trade your office chair for a fitness ball. A firmly inflated fitness or stability ball will improve your balance and tone your core muscles, giving you a six-pack without you even realising it!
• Keep some fun fit tools close at hand. Keep fun fit tools in your office such as resistance bands. Jump on line or pop into your closest sports store and you will be surprised at the choice of funky and affordable fun fit tools such as downloadable pedometers, exercise DVDs, compact weights, stress balls, skipping ropes or mini trampolines.
• Go for a'walkie talkie'. Need to have a meeting or discuss something? Grab your colleague and go for a walk, as you talk.
• Use a pedometer and aim to take on average 8,000-10,000 steps a day. Think of ways to take more steps - Always use the restroom on another floor and take the stairs. Leave something important in your car (your lunch, briefcase, etc.) so you have to run out to get it - and avoid the elevator!
• Use your chair or desk as resistance and support equipment e.g. Lower Back Stretch: Sit tall and place your left hand on your left hip. Gently twist to the left, using your right hand (on your desk) to deepen the stretch, holding for 20-30 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Chair Squat: While sitting, lift yourself up until your hips are just hovering over your chair. Hold for 10 seconds while breathing deeply.

Remember: a healthy lifestyle is similar to dribbling towards the goal in a football match – it’s easy to learn but difficult to master. But with a little finesse, practice and commitment you will soon become a top scorer!