Ready for my next series of life hacks? Today we are talking about movement.

I chose that word intentionally. I could have picked "exercise" but that wouldn't have captured what I have learned.

Let's start with something basic. Almost everyone reading this will be an office worker of some kind. Which means, you probably spend a good deal of your time sedentary. Which means, however much movement you currently do, you probably should be doing more.

I say that as someone who is relatively fit and active in his 50s. Resting Heart Rate (RHR) of 49 since you asked. Yes, I am bragging.

I can run 10k without thinking about it and lift 100kg of the ground in the gym. But I have to really, really think about that.

However, it wasn't always like this for me. When my son was around 1 (he's now 21) I topped the scales roughly 22kg heavier than I am today. That's the equivalent of TWO spare tyres for an average family car.

And so, I have learned a lot about how to be active while having a family and holding down an office job. Which means, it wasn't easy to come up with just three top tips for this aspect of life, but here they are:

1. Have a training plan
2. Have some accountability
3. Get your steps in

A training plan is number 1 because it implies you have a goal you care about and a structured plan to gradually achieve it. That's exactly how Couch to 5k works -- that's a brilliant initiative by the way. It's also how 10k, 10-mile, half-marathon, marathon and ultra-marathon training works.

In the gym, this translates to the concept of progressive overload. Little by little increasing the amount you can lift in a particular movement until, over a period of months and years you become ever stronger.

Any type of plan like this beats any intention to "get fitter" or "be slimmer" or "get stronger". So, work out a realistic goal you can achieve in 2-3 months, create a training plan or download one off the internet, and get started.

Once you have done this, you probably need some accountability. And this is something people often get wrong. My advice, basically tell next to nobody. Certainly don't post about it online. Why? Because you'll get a load of validation for saying you'll do it, rather than actually doing it, which removes the motivation to do it. Or, you'll get a load of negative reactions which will knock your confidence.

What you really need is someone who will be alongside you to help you until you get the bug yourself. Then you can help someone else. When I started to get fit, my mate Alex took me trail running. Prior to that I thought it bizare that anyone would run across a moor in shorts and trainers. I was horribly slow, panted up every hill and couldn't go a tenth of the distance Alex could.

But he just said he wanted to hang out and have fun, which took all the pressure off. Little by little, on the hills around Ilkley I got fitter and faster and eventually realised that I love endurance sport. I can vividly remember our first "run" together. I would never have believed then that a few years later I'd be travelling 50 miles in a day on my feet.

There are many reasons I love Alex, but him helping me with this is right near the top. Changed my health, my perspective and my life.

So, accountability can just be an encouraging friend, a ParkRun community or a group of mates. All of them give you a reason to move, a time when you have to be there and someone you don't want to let down. Later, if you want to, you can hire a PT, but nothing beats movement with a mate.

Finally, do not underestimate the power of getting your steps in on the daily. There is no magic number like 10,000, but setting yourself a goal is helpful. Particularly for office workers, this encourages us to move for up to an hour a day. Just walking. The physical and mental health benefits are huge if you do it regularly.

That's it. Hope you find these useful. On Monday I'll share my tips around nutrition.

Have a nice weekend, Stephen

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