5 WAYS TO SNEAK MORE EXERCISE INTO YOUR DAY

The Philippine Statistics Authority shows that Filipinos spent Php296.5 billion of their own money on healthcare in 2013. That's money out of our own pockets going to doctors and hospitals instead of things we can actually enjoy, such as saving for a nicer home or for retirement.

Research shows that just a little exercise can have a big impact on this spending. It looks like health really is wealth, and every bit of effort we put toward our wellbeing saves money in lower medical costs. Since we can only expect our healthcare spending to increase as we get older, now is a good time to get moving. Here are some ways to sneak more exercise into your day and invest in a healthier you down the road.

If you work in an office, you’ll know how easy it is to become a victim of “sitting disease.” Humans did not evolve to sit at a desk all day, and this modern lifestyle can be bad for our hearts. To combat this, set a timer to go off every hour while you are at work. When the timer goes off, get up and walk around the office, stand up and stretch for a few minutes, or do some exercises at your desk.

There are many opportunities for exercise that we don’t realize are there until we look for them. One of them is choosing to take the stairs whenever possible. When you’re at the mall, when you get to your office, or when you’re entering a parking building, you can find the stairs instead of riding a more-convenient elevator or escalator.

Many of us spend a lot of time waiting in lines. There are lines at the grocery, lines at the ATM, lines at the movie theater. We might as well put all that wasted time to good use. There are many stretches and isometric exercises you can do while standing in place, and waiting in line is the perfect time to do them.

Most of us hate doing household chores. But aside from making your home presentable to guests, housework provides another opportunity to get your body moving. There are a lot of calories you can burn for free just by getting your chores done.

With all the great K-dramas, and Netflix specials you can choose from, it’s so tempting to sit in front of the TV and binge-watch all night and all weekend. Make yourself earn your TV time by exercising 10 minutes for every TV show you watch. Whether it’s burpees, sit-ups, jumping jacks or push-ups it doesn’t really matter what exercise you do. Just make sure that you get moving and get your heart pumping for 10 minutes every time you start a new show.

All the little steps will add up and carry you through a lifelong journey to better health and reduced medical costs down the road. But that's not all. The BPI-Philam Wellness Series rewards all these efforts and more through the Philam Vitality program.

The Wellness Series insurance products are powered by Philam Vitality and helps you enjoy additional coverage on your basic life and rider coverage, and earn rewards with every healthy choice you make. To find out how you can take the first step in living longer, healthier, and better, check our health and wellness programs.