Fit exercise into your busy daily routine

By 2023, half of us will be fat (it's official). It is a frightening statistic - research indicates that people who live sedentary lifestyles can shorten their lifespan by up to seven years.

It's worrying but not inevitable. Moderate to high-intensity exercise can reduce body fat percentage. Spending 20 to 30 minutes a day exercising without equipment can be hugely beneficial to your health.

The fast-paced lifestyles we lead are often a barrier to exercise, with many people using the old excuse of being too tired at the end of the day. So with a significant amount of time spent at work, here are a five useful tips to help you fit some exercise into your daily routine.

1) Walking raises your heart rate and speeds up the chemical reactions within the body, which burns calories. Use the stairs!

2) Stand up each time you make or take a phone call. Not only does this burn more calories than sitting down, it is also makes you sound more confident over the phone.

3) Get a work workout buddy. Find somebody who shares a similar exercise goal and motivate each other to get physically active.

4) Diet is important. Consume a good balance of carbohydrates, proteins and a small amount of fat. A handful of nuts and dried fruit will be far more beneficial than biscuits or pastries.

5) Finally, here's a quick 10-minute metabolism-boosting workout - a great way to start your lunch break:

10 squats
10 star jumps
10 press-ups
10 tuck jumps
10 tricep dips

Repeat the circuit as many times as you can in the time. Four is good. Five is great.

David Higgins is co-founder of TenPilates (tenpilates.com)