BENEFITS OF EXERCISE
INTRODUCTION
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, only 55% of Australian adults meet the recommended guidelines for physical activity, which include at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. For those in high-stress or sedentary work environments, meeting these guidelines can be more challenging or overwhelming.
At Equilibrium, we know the positive impact that physical movement can have on holistic wellbeing. But even more importantly; the power of consistent and sustainable movement that seamlessly fits in with your unique preferences and needs.
This toolkit is intended as an actionable resource to help guide you towards exercise and movement habits that benefit your health, wellbeing and longevity.
THE BENEFITS OF EXERCISE
Regular physical activity has so many benefits, in and out of the workplace. For busy professionals, it can bring:
• Improved mood and mental health
• Enhanced cognitive function and productivity
• Increased energy levels and stamina
• Better sleep quality
And overall — a reduced risk of chronic lifestyle diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
A study on the health benefits of physical activity found that being fit or active was associated with a greater than 50% reduction in risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease and other causes.
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START MOVING
The hardest part about creating new healthy habits? Getting started. But adding intentional physical activity into your day doesn’t need to be daunting. We recommend starting with small, achievable steps and gradually increasing intensity and duration of your activities as you become more comfortable.
These are some simple actions to start, and keep, moving:
1. SCHEDULE & DIARISE YOUR EXERCISE
Block out specific time in your calendar for movement, and treat it like you would any other appointment, making it a non-negotiable
2. MOVE REGULARLY
Especially when working, break up long periods of sitting with short bursts of movement, or ‘exercise snacks’
3. SET SPECIFIC, ACHIEVABLE GOALS
This could be as simple as adding 20 minutes of walking per day to your routine, or 2 movement classes of your choosing per week
4. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS
Tracking can be a great tool to aid motivation, using a journal or app to record physical activity
5. MOVE TO FEEL WELL
Ensuring your mindset is focused on moving for health will help keep it sustainable, rather than calories burned or how you look in the mirror
6. INCORPORATE MOVEMENT INTO YOUR DAY
Look for opportunities to add movement into your daily routine. This could be walking or cycling to work, or booking a lunchtime class at a gym close to work.
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FINDING A MOVEMENT STYLE YOU LOVE
When it comes to intentional exercise, choosing a style that you love is key to building a long term movement practice into your life. You might like to run, train alone in a gym, take group fitness classes, do pilates, practice yoga or play your favourite group or individual sports. We recommend trying a variety of styles to see what you enjoy the most, and look forward to returning to.
And while there is no right or wrong, is it recommended to include some element of resistance training into your week. A study found that as well as improving or maintaining muscle mass and strength, adults who participated in resistance training had a 15% lower risk of all-cause mortality and 17% lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those who did not.
HABIT FORMATION
The key to making movement part of your routine for the long-term, is to create healthy habits.
A study on the psychology of ‘habitformation’ found that there are three phases to behaviour change: first, initiation, second, learning and third, stability. These phases result in automaticity after repeated exposure to the same activity in the same context.
This means, completing the same type of exercise at the same place and time each week will ultimately lead to it becoming ‘second nature’; with minimal feeling of resistance when completing it.
HOLISTIC MOVEMENT & PRIORITISING RECOVERY
Taking a holistic approach is always a key preventative measure for health and wellbeing. When it comes to a physical exercise routine, this involves taking scheduled rest days and prioritising activities that promote the body’s parasympathetic ‘rest and digest’ state; such as meditation, yoga, breathwork and heat therapies.
We recommend at least 1-2 rest days per week, and 1 or more recovery focused sessions either at home, in a studio or at a wellbeing facility.
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START NOW
Incorporating movement and exercise into your daily life is essential for maintaining physical health, improving resilience to stress, and enhancing overall well-being. By taking a proactive approach to your physical health, you can optimise your performance in the workplace and lead a healthier, more fulfilling life.
INDOORS
Do you prefer to high or low intensity workouts?
HIGH INTENSITY
Try out a group strength & conditioning studio; or an indoor running, HIIT or spin style class.
OUTDOORS START
Do you prefer to move indoors or outdoors?
LOW INTENSITY
Head to your local yoga, pilates or breathwork studio.
SOLO
Try walking or running. Move intuitively or use a run coach app to monitor and progress your times and distances.
Do you prefer to move solo or in a community group?
COMMUNITY GROUP
Do you prefer individual movement in a group setting, or team sports?
INDIVIDUAL IN A GROUP
Try joining a local run club or wellness group. You might enjoy park bootcamps, hiking clubs, beach yoga, ocean swimming or outdoor breathwork sessions.
TEAM SPORTS
Try joining a sports team like street basketball or amateur AFL, or head to your local tennis, padel or golf club.
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LEVERAGE EQUILIBRIUM
ABOUT EQUILIBRIUM
Equilibrium is an online program that provides businesses a long-term solution to maximise team performance, improve culture and retain talent, with measurable outcomes.
THE EQUILIBRIUM PROGRAM
The Equilibrium Program couples digital health and wellness education with practical sessions to create an engaging and effective wellbeing program that encourages lasting behavior change.
DIGITAL EDUCATION
An on-demand digital resource for learning, featuring proven theoretical health and wellbeing practices to complement professional routines.
PHYSICAL EXPERIENCE
Interactive learnings and immersive experiences at EQ to complement digital learning, provide you with the practical tools to succeed at work and carry through life.
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DISCLAIMER
This document has been provided for general information only and must not be relied upon in any way. The information issued by Equilibrium is not intended to be a substitute for obtaining professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing health concerns, you are encouraged to seek medical advice from an appropriately qualified medical practitioner. While Equilibrium makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of this document, Equilibrium does not guarantee its accuracy, completeness and does not accept responsibility or liability for any injury, loss or damage incurred by use of or reliance on its information. Before relying on this information, you should carefully evaluate it and where appropriate seek professional advice
ENDNOTES
1 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2023), Physical Activity.
2 Darren E.R. Warburton, Crystal Whitney Nicol, and Shannon S.D. Bredin (2014), Health benefits of physical activity: The evidence.
3 Amanda E Paluch, William R Boyer, Barry A Franklin, Deepika Laddu, Felipe Lobelo, Duck-Chul Lee, Mary M McDermott, Damon L Swift, Allison R Webel, Abbi Lane (2023), Resistance Exercise Training in Individuals With and Without Cardiovascular Disease: 2023 Update: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.
4 Benjamin Gardner, Phillippa Lally, Jane Wardle (2012), Making health habitual: the psychology of ‘habit-formation’ and general practice.
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