To understand how much, or little, exercise you need to do to meet your own health or fitness goals, it may be helpful to consider the following scientific principles behind most tailored exercise programmes

Frequency

This relates to how many times a week you need to exercise in order to become fitter or improve or maintain your health. To be healthy, experts recommend being physically active on at least five days out of seven.

This might sound like a lot, but don't forget that our bodies have evolved over four million years to hunt. With our biological inheritance, it's not surprising that to keep in shape we need to be active on most days.

I hear ya ... the sun is shining, the birds are singing and there are about a million things you'd rather do than exercise. I've heard (and used!) every excuse in the book. Sometimes all you need is to hear the voice of reason ... and here it is:

I know the feeling. Your dogs are barking after a long day at work and all you want to do is plop down on the sofa and tune in to your favorite TV show.

...Then comes that pesky little voice in your head reminding you that you were supposed to work out today ... what a dilemma! Maybe these tips will give you a boost that will turn your quality couch time into time well spent!