I mentioned in my last post how after my operation, my health has gone down the drain a little bit and it hasn’t been helped with all the stresses of an international move. But a true fighter doesn’t let a little setback keep him/her down.

I have started a new fitness regime to get back my pre-natal and pre-illness body and health. Getting fit from ‘fat’ is never an easy route. I don’t do yo-yo dieting and neither should you. I get back to the basics.

Did you know that recently an 8 year study from researchers in Taiwan has just proven that 15 minutes of physical activity a day can substantially reduce your risk of death by 14 percent and increase your life expectancy by three years?

Just FIFTEEN minutes! That is short enough to not make those of you out there averse to exercising feel burdened. Of course the longer you can go, the better. But 15 minutes daily or a total of 105 minutes a week is the least recommended amount to keep you healthy and to ward off diseases affecting your organs.

Today more people in the developed world are dying of diseases like heart failure, diabetes, cancer and even the common flu. If you could postpone death to a ripe old age of at least 80, after enjoying life fully with your loved ones, wouldn’t you?

This study, published by The Lancet, being conducted in Taiwan, was more concerned with Asians, who tend to lead a more sedentary lifestyle than people living in the West. Or if they do exercise, it was less intense.

Now why would you want to spend at least 15 minutes daily exercising? There is of course the question of your mortality. (yes we all die eventually but let’s make it a beautiful one, shall we?) Being healthy saves you tonnes of money. How? You get less sick, means less trips to the doctor means less money being paid to insurances/bills/medications.

You don’t gain weight so again less money spent on buying different sized clothes to fit your ‘growing’ body. But then again, you may want to treat your beautiful, healthy body to that fabulous designer dress you’ve been saving for, go ahead!

And because you are less often ill, you don’t have to worry about taking extra time off work, especially if you are daily rated worker or an entrepreneur like me. You get to work hard on the job and then, take a well deserved break for yourself or with your loved ones.

There are many more wonderful reasons why you should exercise and keep healthy. I’m sure you’ll find yours soon enough. For me, it’s a matter of life and death, almost, but that’s for another post.

So still no idea what 15 minutes of life saving exercise you can do? Here’s some tip:-

• Walk up and down the stairs if you live in an apartment block. Make sure you go slowly in the beginning but end with a light sweat.

• Shadow boxing the wall. You can always put a picture of a dictator like Ghaddafi on it and pretend that you’re giving him some moves. Make sure you switch sides and don’t lock your elbow when you punch out.

• Get yourself a mini trampoline and jump up and down on it like a 3 year old child again. It’s great to get your heart rate going and strengthen your bones.

• Go biking around your neighbourhood and beyond. Discover new trails, new sceneries and maybe even meet new friends.

• Still don’t like these ideas? How about working out while cooking or cleaning? I have taught my students to incorporate my Goddess Fitness Therapy movements while working at home. Say you’re cooking one of your yummy calorie laden recipe, squeeze your buttocks intermittently and then do large hip circles as if you’re using a hula hoop. Switch directions then jog on the spot while stirring that pot of curry. Easy peasy!

Now tell me that saving your own life and health takes too much work.