Standing for three hours a day is equivalent to running 10 marathons a year

This is a great way to get fit if you have a hard time finding time or motivation to go to the gym. Standing for three hours a day has the same health benefits as running ten marathons. Dr. Mike Rossmao, chief health adviser at the Sports Medicine Institute, said official exercise guidelines are unrealistic and seemingly out of reach for many people. But he insists even small amounts of exercise can have health benefits.

The government recommends that we spend half an hour a day, five days a week, doing moderate exercise. But Dr. Rossmao says only 7% of men and 4% of women get the recommended amount of exercise. More than a quarter of adults get less than half an hour of exercise a week, making Britain one of the least physically active countries in the world. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The message I'm trying to get across is that doing small amounts of physical activity, not quite the government guidelines, can do you a lot of good and the movement of standing can be good for your health.

Now I am standing, and all the small muscles in my legs plus the muscles in other parts of my body are holding me upright. "If I stand for three hours a day at work like this, five days a week I'm doing the equivalent of running 10 marathons a year. Dr Rossmaugh, who also advised GB Boxing's team of sports doctors at the 2012 London Olympics, said people who think small changes, such as standing more, mean nothing are "completely mistaken". It can have health benefits, reducing the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, lowering cholesterol and helping to lose weight," he said. If you do small amounts of exercise consistently and make it a habit, it can be beneficial to your health. You don't have to put on your sportswear and go to the gym to work out, just do some light exercise. A Department of Health spokesman said: "We recognise that starting with a small amount of exercise every day can have long-term health benefits for everyone. Other small exercises can have a big impact on your health, like climbing stairs and parking your car further away from the supermarket.