Today, we spend a large part of our time sitting down, whether in front of the computer in the office, in front of the television, or even playing on games consoles. Technology has taken a large leap forward for our society, but it has also responsible for our sedentary lifestyle, which is a serious problem for many people.
For some time, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has been alerting us to the fact that a sedentary lifestyle is the second largest cause of death in western countries, and it has stated that over 40% of the global population does not do sufficient, and the necessary, physical activity to achieve optimum health.
At O’live Fitness you will find a large variety of products to introduce you to Lifestyle Medicine. Visit our online store:
Lifestyle Medicine: benefits and implementation
As we mentioned previously, Lifestyle medicine grew out of the need to combat sedentary lifestyles and to promote a healthy way of life through sport and physical exercise. This new concept improves a person’s health and lifestyle and has two main objectives:
The prevention of the emergence of pathologies arising from a sedentary lifestyle, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, osteoporosis or high cholesterol.
Additionally, the objective of treating illness through physical exercise instead of using pharmaceutical treatments.
In many countries there are already groups of specialists who support the Lifestyle Medicine treatment: paediatricians, geriatricians, cardiologists and doctors in general. They promote doing exercise as a medicine, but always after having previously consulted with one these specialists so that the treatment can be successful and you can avoid exercises that may cause injuries.
Generally, there are numerous benefits for following this discipline, so if you don’t have time to go to the gym, there are many basic routines that you can do comfortably at home and at any time of day. The important thing is to establish a routine and stick to it in order to combat a sedentary lifestyle and to begin taking part in Lifestyle medicine. Below, we show you an exercise that is very easy to do.
The STEP-UP with STEP PLATFORM: a full routine for working the lower body
The step-up is a recognised activity in the fitness world. It consists of carrying out choreographed movements on a bench, such as a STEP by O’live Fitness, which has anti-slip supports and a height that can vary depending on how difficult you want to make the exercise, measurements that can vary between 10 cm and 20 cm.
This type of training combines cardiovascular and toning exercises, it improves the lower body including thighs, glutes and hips. Learning the technique is very easy and, with practice, you will acquire a healthier and slimmer body.
It is very easy to practice this at home. All you need are some good trainers to protect your ankles, a bottle of water and a Deck. Remember not to leave anything around the STEP, as you will need space to do the choreography. Furthermore, it is very important that the stepper should grip the floor so that you can practice your exercises in complete safety.
With the Step-up you can do an endless amount of exercises by stepping up and down from the Deck to the rhythm of the music and by making up creative aerobic dance routines. Below is an example for step-up exercises:
Basic exercise (in groups of 3 with 15 repetitions): step onto the STEP with one leg and then, bring up the other leg to the rhythm of the music. In other words, imitate the movements you make when going up stairs, which is a good way to start training.
Exercise for toning the glutes (in groups of 3 with 15 repetitions): another example is to step onto the Deck with one leg, following with the other leg, and then “kick” backwards. You can alternate the legs until you reach 15 repetitions.
You can also find a wide range of exercises which specifically work certain muscle groups: by using very light weights or resistance bands, you can work the upper limbs and develop and tone your muscles uniformly throughout your body, and not just focus on the legs and glutes.
At O’live Fitness we promote a healthy and active life
To summarise, Lifestyle medicine is a very effective way to combat a sedentary lifestyle which can lead to serious illness such as diabetes, cardiovascular problems, osteoporosis and high blood pressure. At O’live Fitness you will find a large number of fitness products for all types of disciplines. If you require any further information about our products and services please visit our website through this link.
