Everyone has heard the famous slogan ‘Manger Bouger’ (Eat Well, Move Well) from Santé Publique France, which also gives us advice on how to eat better with recipes and tips for eating well without breaking the bank, and how to move more with physical activity tests to calculate how sedentary we are, whether we are children or adults. But how important is it to engage in regular physical activity or even sports?
Sedentary lifestyle
Whether it’s walking, cycling, swimming, tree climbing or any other sport, it’s always better to stay active than to do nothing.
Sedentary lifestyles among children and adolescents mainly manifest themselves in weight gain, significantly reduced and less beneficial sleep, and much more introverted social behaviour. It can also affect health and increase the chances of developing heart disease or diabetes.
This also applies to adults, who may also experience a significant increase in cardiovascular and cancer risks, as well as type 2 diabetes.
According to the World Health Organisation, a quarter of the world’s population, or nearly 2 billion people, do not get enough physical activity.
How can you be more active in your daily life?
How can you be more active in your daily life?
Going for walks in a nearby park or neighbourhood, cycling, riding a scooter or rollerblading to work or for short journeys helps you stay in shape.
Clean your house or do some gardening! Vacuuming, moving furniture, digging in the soil, planting, harvesting… all these activities are physical activities that we tend to underestimate.
And having fun while playing sport is ideal! That’s exactly what we offer at Fontdouce. with a variety of fun and sporting activities, the most popular of which is the tree climbing adventure course featured on this page.
How can you stay motivated?
Don’t hesitate to sign up for an activity with friends to motivate yourself! You’ll create memories together and won’t notice the time passing. Then you’ll see your progress in each area and will surely start a friendly competition between yourselves.
The most important thing to ensure you stay motivated throughout the year is to make your workouts and appointments part of your routine and habit. That way, you won’t need to think about it or motivate yourself. Once the routine is established, it will become instinctive: this is the best way to make sure you don’t miss your sessions.
It should be noted that the recommended 10,000 steps per day has been disproved and that, on the contrary, 30 minutes of physical activity per day is sufficient. These 30 minutes are equivalent to 7,500 steps, which is sufficient for daily exercise. Why not opt for a hike in the open air to enjoy the benefits of nature?
What are the benefits of physical activity and/or sport?
Regular physical activity and exercise are important for health at any age. They help combat diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and make it easier to control weight gain. They also help relieve mental fatigue by promoting physical fatigue, resulting in deeper, more restful sleep. With better sleep, it is easier to combat stress during the day, as well as depression and anxiety.
When you are older, it also helps you maintain your independence and vitality and slow down the ageing process.
Last but not least, it promotes a sense of well-being thanks to the dopamine released during physical activity and brings satisfaction and even joy at the end.
