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We all know we need to be exercising more, but many people’s excuse is that they go to work all day so have no time to do it.

However latest research may just change your mind about your daily routine.

Researchers found that employees who either worked out before work or during their lunch breaks were not only more productive at work, but they were also happier and less stressed.

However on the days they didn’t exercise, the participants didn’t feel quite as calm.

Jo Coulson, Research Associate in the University's Department of Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences, said: 'Our statistical results were very important.

'On exercise days, people's mood significantly improved after exercising. Mood stayed about the same on days they didn't, with the exception of people's sense of calm which deteriorated.

'Critically, workers performed significantly better on exercise days and across all three areas we measured, known as mental-interpersonal, output and time demands.'

In fact, 72 per cent of the 200 participants reported improvements in time management on the days they exercised when compared to non-exercise days. Surely this is enough incentive for bosses to try and incorporate some fun fitness into their employee's work day. Everyone would be a winner.
 

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As the weather becomes warmer, the swimming pool beckons, so use it to your advantage with an aqua workout!

Unless you have taken some choreographed classes, you may be feeling a bit lost about what exercises you can do in the water. The easiest thing to do for a great workout is to just have fun! Jump around, swim a little crazily, kick and bounce with the enthusiasm of a child. And with the added resistance of the water, you will be getting an even better workout than you would on land.

Here are some other tips for aqua exercising:

1. Doing laps is great for you, but it can be a bit boring so try to mix up your strokes. This is also great for working all areas of your body.

2. It is also an idea to count the number of laps you do, so you can push yourself further next time and gradually build up your strength.

3. A great workout for the legs is by doing a stroke like backstroke, but using a fast kick for speed instead of your arms. So float on your back, leave your arms by your side and start kicking as fast as you can. Just mind your head at the other end!

4. Leg lifts are also a really easy pool exercise. Back and forth, or side to side - all directions will give you a great workout.

5. The jump and twist is a fun aqua move. It’s like doing the twist, so as you jump up your arms swing one way, and your legs swing to the other side. This one exercises your whole body.

6. Depending on the edge of your swimming pool, you can also try swinging your legs over the side, then keep your body afloat with the help of your core muscles.

7. The sides are also great for arm exercises. You can try water pushups by facing the wall, placing your hands on the edge about shoulder width apart, and lifting your body up and down for a great chest and arm workout.

8. You can also try tricep dips, where you face your back towards the wall, place your palms on the edge and start lifting your body out of the water and back down again.

9. For another great workout, lean back against the side of the pool with your arms supporting your weight, then with your legs together, weave them back and forth through the water in a figure eight. This one is good for tightening the waist.

10. And finally, if all of this bores you, grab a pool pony or another energetic pool toy and reminisce about your childhood with some old fashioned pool fun! You could even grab a group of friends for a game of marco polo. Kids stay fit by enjoying themselves. Who can beat that for exercise!

If you love the idea of burning calories at your desk, but you thought the idea of a treadmill desk was a bit much, this Stamina cycle may be just what you were looking for! It is small, portable and can be tucked under your desk so discreetly that no-one would even know you were pedaling. Except maybe for the sweat starting to pour down your face.

Alternatively, you could pop it in front of the couch and exercise while you are sitting and watching the television.

Due to it's size, it makes a great alterative to the traditional exercise bikes which are tricky to store. Cycling inside has never been so convenient. 

I have just been reading about a type of exercise called ChiBall. Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), it is said to incorporate Tai Chi-Qi Gong, Dance, Yoga, Pilates, Feldenkrais and Meditation. What a great mix.

The ChiBall website describes each of those disciplines as follows:

• Tai Chi and Qi Gong cleanses, rejuvenates and refreshes the internal body by working with the breath and meridian system
• ChiBall Dance is used to generate energy, mobility and flexibility using vigorous to gentle, slow, continuous movement patterns which aids detoxification and oxygen supply to muscles
• Yoga increases strength, flexibility, concentration, balance and self-awareness
• Pilates develops core strength, supports the spine, stabilises the pelvis and increases mobility of the joints
• Feldenkrais Method helps us rediscover the effortless movements patterns of childhood, and cultivates the art of listening and letting go
• Deep Relaxation induces calmness of mind and body through deep breathing, visualisation techniques and meditation

ChiBall also integrates the four main aspects of TCM which are yin and yang, chi (or energy), our meridian system and the five seasonal elements.

Sounds fantastic. It is currently listed on the Fitness First website, so hopefully you will see it popping up at gym classes near you.

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A friend of mine had been speaking to one of the top cardiologists in the country about the best advice for good health. His number one tip was this:

Forget the car, you have to learn to walk more.

Now he’s not talking about walking on a treadmill at home in front of the television. He is talking about incidental walking.

Before the invention of cars, humans had been walking for thousands and thousands of years. Even thirty years ago, people were more likely to walk to do their errands. If they needed some milk, many would walk to their nearest corner store. We walked to the local fish and chip shop for dinner, we even walked to school.

Luckily, I am one of those people who is able to walk everywhere. Whether it’s to buy my groceries, go for a coffee, or go to the hairdressers or the bank, I have most things within about a 30 minute walk. So without even realising it, I am often walking for an hour a day, just doing normal daily activities. It’s really about taking the opportunity to move when it’s available.

So my friend took this advice yesterday, and walked between appointments. He would have ended up walking for 20 minutes between each location, and he did this three times. So all up, he fit in an hour of fitness without even really thinking about it. In fact, he said it was a lot less stressful than driving and trying to find a parking space!

Apart from the physical workout, it’s also nice to have time to yourself to think. I find a good walk allows me time to become mentally organized, without the distraction of emails, the radio or the television.

Even if you aren't in a situation where you can walk everyone, there will still be opportunities where you can walk more. You can park the car further away, walk between shops instead of driving, or just walk to the train station instead of catching the bus there.

Co-incidentally, I just realised it is also Walk to Work Day tomorrow in Australia!

For more information, go to www.walk.com.au

Yoga is often described as the harmonizing of the body, mind and spirit. It originated in India thousands of years ago, and is slowly being recognized for its incredible benefits all around the world. Whether you are doing it for physical fitness, healing, relaxation or for inner peace, the regular practice of yoga will do wonders for you.

The styles of yoga differ quite a bit, so if your experiences so far haven’t left you excited, maybe it is time to try out a different style. Here are some of the most common types of yoga:

Hatha Yoga actually refers to the physical practice of yoga, so it is the basis of all the styles. It is slower paced, making it easier to understand and is a great introduction to yoga.

Vinyasa Yoga means a breath-synchronized movement, and this style is based on a flowing sequence. You breathe in for one pose, then breathe out for the next. The key to enjoying this type of yoga is understanding the basic ‘salute to the sun’ poses. It can be a little daunting at the beginning, but as you improve your strength and get used to the poses, you will find you really enjoy it. This should get your heart rate up.

Ashtanga Yoga is a very fast paced style of yoga. The constant flow means you are guaranteed to get a good workout. This is also where power yoga was derived from.

Iyengar Yoga is all about bringing the body into alignment. You tend to hold your poses for longer, and it often incorporates the use of props like yoga blankets, blocks, chairs and straps. It involves careful precision in each movement.

Bikram Yoga was developed in Los Angeles, and it’s claim to fame is that classes are held in rooms heated to 40c with high humidity, so it’s all about getting sweaty! With looser muscles due to the high heat, you will find yourself twisting and turning into a series of incredible poses. You have the added benefit of being in a sauna type environment, so it’s great for sweating out the toxins and is therefore highly cleansing. This is also called hot yoga.

Kundalini Yoga focuses on awakening the energy at the bottom of your spine. It combines short, rapid movements and is big on chanting and breathing while you are practicing your poses.