Having opted out of higher education after being offered a part in Welsh-language soap opera, Pobol y Cwm, in 1998 instead, I didn’t do the whole formal education and learning thing. My learning happened when I was on the job, and it was that way in every job I had until 2015, when I decided that I wanted a total career change- from TV presenter to personal trainer. And to do that, I needed recognised and respected qualifications. And to get those, I needed to go back to school!

For 12 months, I studied, attended lectures, studied more, and sat exams. And loved it! And I continued, even despite the pandemic, to learn, study and sit more exams to gain further qualifications. I am now about to start a degree in nutrition! But…what I didn’t love about the whole process was the sedentary lifestyle that studying and learning brings.

Sat for hours, reading, listening, note-taking…how do you keep your NEAT (Non-Exercise Thermogenesis- All that you do when moving your body in any way which isn’t focused on a workout or exercise session. For example, gardening, dancing, walking or cleaning) up, your energy levels high, and your focus on the task at hand when you’re sat, sluggish and still, most of the day?

Well, this is where I can share all my MOVE MORE tips with you! This is not only for you if you’re studying later on in life, but for your kids and grandkids when they’re studying for exams! This even works if you’re working from home! Get ready, and watch your productivity soar!

Research suggests that regular physical movement throughout the day helps support healthy development, helps improve memory and concentration, and helps sustain a positive outlook. The brains gets a bubble bath of good neurochemicals, neurotransmitters and endorphins- essentially happy hormones that flood the body- which help decrease feelings of anxiety and depression.

So don’t get bogged down in the studying, or stuck to your chair! It’s time to MOVE MORE!

• Set a time for 45 minutes, get your head down and focus on the work and task.
• When the timer goes, it’s time to move! Pop your 5 favourite floor filler tunes into a playlist, hit play and it’s time to step-touch like Aunty Sue at a family wedding!
• This gets your heart rate up, gets oxygenated blood through the body to the brain, and gets your ready for your next 45 minutes of focused work. On top of that, you’re increasing your daily step count and keeping that NEAT up!

Another option after the alarm goes off after 45 minutes, is to get outdoors for 10-15 minutes- walking, breathing and taking in the scenery around you. Nature’s a natural mood lifter.

If you’re studying or working from home, get those tunes on and take yourself off to pop the washing on the line- always think about taking a break and moving more!

Set this up five times per day when you’re in the thick of study or work, and you will clock up almost five productive, focused hours, and one hour and 15 minutes of moving your body more.

Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it- it really works! I have hundreds of clients keeping their NEAT up all over the UK just by following these MOVE MORE tips. So, set that timer, get to work, and start looking forward to those short, happy hormone-filled breaks! I’m a big fan of life-long learning, but I’m not a fan of sitting still and not living!