2013-05-19T22:08:55-04:00 Sarah Anne Marsh http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/index.php?author=sarah-anne-marsh Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Sarah Anne Marsh Good old fashioned elbow grease. tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.3067819 2013-04-12T07:10:20-04:00 2013-04-12T13:20:13-04:00

Sarah Anne Marsh http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-anne-marsh/
Today we launched research in partnership with London School of Economics (LSE) which claims that increasing your daily exercise amount by 12 minutes to reach the government recommended amount of 150 minutes, could significantly reduce risk of lifestyle related diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease whilst pushing you up a pay bracket.

The findings, outlined in a report by Nuffield Health and LSE, suggest that completing the additional 12 minutes will lower the risk of high cholesterol (by 6 per cent) and high blood pressure (by 4 per cent) therefore cutting the risk of future health problems. It also shows that those who are active have an annual income of £6,500 more than their counterparts, adding a monetary incentive to the best practice message we all know.

The message that exercising is good for health and overall wellbeing is well known. However it doesn't seem to have done much for the seven in 10 of us who currently do not meet the government recommended amount of 150 minutes of exercise per week. Over half of respondents said more leisure time would encourage them to participate in sport or exercise and nearly 4 in ten people (40 per cent) blamed work commitments for their lack of participation. Data also revealed 30 per cent of respondents in the Health Survey for England 2007 would be encouraged to get active if advised by their GP. The trust placed in clinical practitioners suggests that we have a hugely important role to play in the motivating of the masses. Similarly with researchers continuing to profess the damning effects of stress and increased pressures both in the workplace and at home, the research places some responsibility with employers who it indicates should have benefits in place which support a resilient, fit and thriving workforce.

Supporting the statement, a healthy heart makes for a healthy mind, the data shows that those who complete the suggested amount of weekly exercise are 6 per cent less likely to have poor mental health. With the effects of the additional 12 minutes of exercise impacting the mind, the body (including a 7 per cent lower risk of obesity) and the public purse, the research makes a strong argument for a more collaborative well rounded approach to treatment: including perhaps the medicinal, the physical and the therapeutic.

Even the sceptical should read the report, not concerned with spoon feeding or dictation it does offer a simple achievable suggestion. And ultimately for all the excuses 12 minutes is not very long. Using the time spent watching TV adverts to complete a few exercises would help clock up the minutes as would a brisk walk to the next bus stop.

We understand that now is a time of austerity and present evidence to suggestion a revaluation of personal and public investment. Investing in our financial futures is something which appears comfortable in public consciousness, or at minimum a valued consideration. Now developing sustainable working and lifestyle practices is important; investing in our health by finding the additional 12 minutes today, may if the research is to be believed, be the difference in having more time in the future.

For more information please visit the Nuffield Health website or click here to read more about the research titled 12 minutes more...]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.2963093 2013-03-27T10:07:57-04:00 2013-03-27T15:18:21-04:00

Sarah Anne Marsh http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-anne-marsh/
With obesity increasingly impacting the health and wellbeing of people in the UK - it's time to go back to basics.

We need to swap the latest fad diets or the newest at home exercise craze with something more substantial. I recommend starting small - making small positive changes to your lifestyle - this will help you get on a path to health and fitness that you can stick to.

Nuffield Health's new 'Equipment Amnesty' research suggests three in four of us have bought at least one piece of equipment that promises to help us lose pounds and shape up in the comfort of our own homes. As with so many good intentions though, just one in five end up using the equipment on a regular basis with double that using it when they first buy it, then giving up. That's a considerable waste - in terms of money, but also valuable space in our homes.

The survey revealed there are around 82 million items of health and fitness equipment currently in households across the UK, with exercise bikes, weights and workout DVDs proving most popular. Much equipment that doesn't get used ends up cluttering up attics and spare rooms (60 per cent), while some ends up being put to other uses, including drying washing (6 per cent). One person told us they're currently living with a cross trainer in their living room - they don't use it, but it's too heavy to move anywhere else or get rid of!

We all have busy lives and, while most of us would like to exercise more, it can be difficult to squeeze a regular fitness routine in. The temptation to splash money on a quick fix isn't surprising then, but the reality is it's unlikely to work for most people. Of those that do stick with it, fewer than a third (31 per cent) achieved what they set out to.

The problem is that a combination of factors is important in getting stuck into a health and fitness routine that you'll stick to in the long run and that will produce lasting improvements. Despite seeming handy, exercising at home can be difficult to commit to - everyday life is more distracting at home than anywhere else. When starting out, expert support and advice can be really helpful, coupled with an exercise plan that is tailored to you. We'd all like instant results, but it's keeping to a regular, varied routine that is the answer for most people - there is no quick fix!

To help with your first small step, join our free Equipment Amnesty and get help from the experts we have on hand.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.2291498 2012-12-13T06:44:39-05:00 2013-02-12T05:12:01-05:00

Sarah Anne Marsh http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sarah-anne-marsh/ gym could make you ill - Can this be true?

In the vast majority of cases the answer is, of course, 'no'. But there are some facts exercisers should be aware of, regardless of where they are working out. Our new research looks at what we call 'fitness etiquette' - safe and appropriate behaviour in fitness environments. Why? Because all exercisers should be supported in achieving their health and fitness goals.

Almost three quarters of UK adults who exercise at least occasionally told us they have personally experienced or witnessed what they would term bad gym-place etiquette. This covers a raft of fitness faux pas - ranging from not putting equipment back after using it to shaving in the jacuzzi - which make the experience of working out less enjoyable for everyone. A similar proportion told us they want gyms to take action to improve behaviour. But, what worried us most was that almost a quarter are put off exercising due to fitness etiquette violations that are easily avoidable - like excessive nudity in changing rooms.

In a country where we are well on our way to having an obesity epidemic, we can't afford for people who are actively trying to get fitter and healthier to be deterred from doing so just because some people are unsure what is and isn't the right, safe way to behave when exercising.

The research also highlighted our stereotypically British approach to tackling, or not tackling as the case may be, bad etiquette when we encounter it. When people don't wipe sweat off equipment or treat fitness facilities like a hotel, it annoys the vast majority of exercisers. However, less than a quarter do anything about it. Reasons listed include being too embarrassed to confront offenders or report negative behaviour to gym staff, or simply thinking that speaking up wouldn't change anything.

Finally, the research looked at hygiene, and it's here where the risk of the spread of infection can potentially come into the equation. Sweating is a normal part of exercise, helping the body cool down. But where sweat is allowed to fester or is transferred on to gym equipment and then not cleaned after use, problems can occur, it doesn't always just cause bad odours. More than a third of people we surveyed admitted to exercising without deodorant or socks on while 16 per cent don't wash their gym kit between workouts. It's not surprising then that almost a quarter of gym goers have had to move to a different part of the gym to escape the overpowering body odour of another exerciser. For a healthy, happy gym experience, it's best to wipe equipment down after use, not exercise with a cold, wash kit between each workout and not share items like towels and water bottles.

It's our job to encourage people to think about the health implications of their exercise behaviour - both good and bad. We want to encourage everyone in the UK to take control of their own wellbeing by helping tackle the barriers that can prevent people getting fitter and healthier. To do our little bit, we've worked with gym goers and health and fitness professionals to compile a guide to fitness etiquette. Take a read and tell us what you think.]]>