So far, I have discussed physical activity and its importance in our everyday lives. To lead a healthy lifestyle physical activity and good nutrition go hand in hand.

Nutrition is how we consume food. Food is composed of three macronutrients Carbohydrates (4 kcal/g) Protein (4 kcal/g) and Fats (9 kcal/g) and micronutrients vitamins and minerals. So, what is the importance of these macronutrients?

Carbs are needed to provide energy for work and performance. Protein for growth, maintenance and repair of cells and to aid in recovery and adaption of training and fats for bodily functions such as nutrient absorption, heat insulation and heart function.

It’s important to have an equal balance between calories consumed and calories expended. However, due to the hustle and bustle of our daily lives we might not maintain this balance everyday as we may assume, we have eaten more or less than needed. Being in a calorie ‘surplus’ is called a positive energy balance (eating more calories than expended). Being in a calorie surplus for a prolonged period can lead to weight gain and as mentioned in my previous blog is one of the fundamental backbones behind obesity. Being in a calorie ‘deficit’ is called a negative energy balance (eating less calories than expended). So how can we achieve this balance?

It’s important to be aware of how much calories we need each day. It is recommended for males to have 2500 kcal per day and females to have 2000 kcal per day however these figures can vary due to age, metabolism and physical activity levels.

A major problem with nutrition in the present day is the excessive amount of sugar in our foods. Approximately one teaspoon of sugar is 4g. It is recommended that men and women do not exceed 9 and 6 teaspoons of sugar per day, respectively. Nowadays, it is so easy to exceed our sugar recommendations with one drink, snack or meal without realizing. For example, a 500ml monster can contains 55g of sugar approximately 14 teaspoons of sugar, more than double the recommended daily intake for women and one and half times the daily intake for men. It is important to read food labels and check sugar content in foods and drinks as those deemed “healthy” on store shelves can be loaded with sugar. For example, some sports drinks can contain up to 20 grams of sugar that’s 5 teaspoons, almost fulfilling a female’s daily intake. It’s important to remember we are what we eat and fuel your body the right way! (Although i would often destroy a bottle of Luzozade sport the morning after a few jars!)

Below are some examples of sugar content in everyday drinks:

That now brings an end to this ‘Exercise is Medicine’ blog series, Thank you too everyone who has given a blog a quick read and for those who have shared it on there social media and for those who have left a comment of what they think.

Thank you again for reading!

Physical inactivity is becoming a world health problem. Every year it is estimated that physical inactivity causes 1 million deaths in the European Region. It is recommended that adults participate in 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week or an equivalent combination of both. However, can we truthfully say that we fulfil these guidelines? According to the World Health Organisation, 1 in 4 adults do not meet these recommendations meaning that 1.4 billion people in the world are deemed ‘inactive’. It is time to get the world moving.

Obesity is becoming a world epidemic, with Ireland having one of the highest obesity rates in Europe. Approximately 60% of Irish adults are overweight or obese. Being obese or overweight can raise blood pressure, cholesterol levels, initiate the development of metabolic syndrome and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Ireland is set to be in an obesity crisis by 2030. So, how did we end up with this problem? The fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is really simple, it is an energy imbalance between calories expended and calories consumed.

Check out these 5 tips to kick start a healthy lifestyle

• Get off the bus or train a few stops earlier or park your car further away and walk the rest of the journey to work/college. This could be a 15-minute walk before and after work= 30 minutes of Physical activity for the day.
• Set targets/goals. If you are new to physical activity, this could be to walk for 15 minutes 5 days a week, we all must start somewhere! For others it may be to start a new sport, or to be able to run a 5k. (Try the ‘Couch to 5k’ app) Short-term or long-term goals can be a great motivator.
• Climb the stairs instead of using the lift!
• Need to make a phone call? At work or home instead of sitting down for a half hour to talk on the phone stand up or walk around your office/ room. Move more, sit less.
• Use some of your lunch time to participate in physical activity, go alone or take a work colleague or friend and go for a walk, cycle or jog.Picture source – https://healthcontinuum.org/2015/10/04/make-physical-activity-a-part-of-your-life/?fbclid=IwAR3knUo_IdfTR-9nyfjj7mkdpwmQm6K8KF_9KLF1MpAEyy5hbd3-tow9ZT0

As part of a final year project on Social Media in college, I have to create 3 blog entries. I have decided to base my blogs on the theme, ‘Exercise is Medicine’. The first blog is an introduction to inactive and active lifestyle choices and their effects. I hope you enjoy! Feel free to leave any comments and suggestions.

We are a species made to move, yet our lifestyles are predominantly inactive. Our ancestors were hunter gathers that sourced their own food and built their own homes for survival. Nowadays, groceries can be purchased with the click of a button, we drive cars instead of walking and spend hours staring at screens, our minds are switched on and bodies are switched off.

Our way of living has changed over time leading us to live inactive and quick-fix lifestyles. We forget our bodies were made to move, just like a car needs petrol our bodies need exercise. Why? Exercise induces positive changes to our bodies such as improving aerobic fitness, reduced risk of Cardiovascular disease, reduces high blood pressure, releases ‘feel good’ endorphins, increases energy expenditure, reduces risk of type 2 diabetes to name a few. On the other hand, physical inactivity creates negative changes to our body. For example, when we sit down changes incur immediately as the electrical activity in our legs shuts off, enzymes that breakdown fat drop by 90% and calorie burning decreases. After 2 hours, ‘good’ cholesterol levels drop by 20% and after 24 hours our insulin effectiveness decreases, and our risk of diabetes increases by 24%… Regretting those Netflix binges?

This doesn’t mean we all have to be body builders, fitness fanatics living in the gym eating protein every minute of the day, but we should be conscious of our lifestyle choices to convert sedentary behaviors to active. The world health organization (WHO), recommend that adults should participate in moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day- This could be three 10-minute bouts of walking, swimming or cycling. Lifestyle changes can improve our health and well-being consequently reducing risk of health-related diseases.

Need some inspiration? Below are a few examples of simple changes we can make to increase our physical activity each day.

Thank you for reading!