Skip to content

We Are Undefeatable partners with Bill Bailey on Freedom To Move

The campaign burst highlights the benefits of physical activity hidden in everyday movement and shines a light on why you don’t need to spend money to stay active and healthy.

6th September 2023

We Are Undefeatable has teamed up with comedian Bill Bailey to launch Freedom To Move, showcasing free ways to boost activity levels – with its Big Talk: Public Consultation also now open.

Recent research from the campaign, which launched in 2019 and supports people with long-term health conditions to be more active, reveals that adults are being more physically active than they realise by simply engaging in everyday movements that contribute to daily exercise.

But with 33% of adults also admitting they’re staying home more due to the increased cost of living, We Are Undefeatable is hoping the collaboration with Bill - who lives with asthma - can highlight how small actions, such as household chores, can make a big impact on people's health.

Bill Bailey, an instructor and a woman with arthritis, perform hip circles in a kitchen

The campaign has created three easy-to-follow exercise videos featuring everyday activities that can be done in the home, and Bill is encouraging everyone to give them a go.

“Finding ways to boost your physical activity can be challenging when living with a long-term health condition,” said Bill.

“These videos show ways you can increase activity levels by adding some additional movement whilst going about your day-to-day activities at home, finding the moves that work best for you.”

The free and engaging videos are suited to people living with a range of health conditions and come as new research reveals that more than a fifth of adults say their mood has been lowered due to an increase in the cost of living.

And our strategic lead for health and wellbeing policy, Tom Burton, is excited by how Freedom to Move can help us as we continue to implement our Uniting the Movement strategy.

“Our research stubbornly shows that you’re still around twice as likely to be inactive when living with a long-term health condition, compared to those without. This needs to change," he said.

“It doesn’t matter how, what’s most important is that people are moving more in a way that works for them and their condition/symptoms.

"Campaigns such as We Are Undefeatable tell a powerful story around the benefits that being active can have for all of us, including ways to do so, and are integral as we work to deliver our Uniting the Movement strategy.

“The new campaign ‘Freedom to Move’ will hopefully give people the confidence to continue taking positive steps to being active in ways which work for them.”

With 68% interested in incorporating physical activity into their lives without spending money, the need for affordable solutions to manage health and wellbeing has never been more necessary.

So, in support of the campaign, TV personality and GP Dr Zoe Williams has recommended a series of physical movements that can all be done at home.
 

  • Dr Zoe's at-home movements to help your health

    • Making the bed for mind, body and soul -  Kicking off your day by making your bed, could have benefits - including reducing stress, helping to clear your mind and boost your mood. Though it may seem like a mundane task for some, making the bed can be mini workout which can be the first movement of the day which involves bending, stretching and engaging your core muscles to move pillows, duvets, sheets and mattresses - it’s a great way to gently awaken our body and set the tone for an active day. 
    • Vacuuming or Sweeping to your favourite songs - When vacuuming or sweeping the floor, the motion of pushing and pulling engages your arms and shoulders, while encouraging you to move more around your home, providing a light whole body cardio workout. For a more active session, why not turn on your favourite music and dance around your room as you clean.This is a great opportunity to exercise without the need for expensive equipment, using items you already have in your home and get chores done at the same time! 
    • Carrying food shopping to maximise movement - Carrying heavy bags of food shopping from the supermarket to your  home, is a combined cardio and weightlifting exercise in disguise.  Shopping bags act as weights, giving you the opportunity to strengthen your arm muscles with every step you take. The workout doesn’t stop there as putting shopping away (especially heavier items like tins of beans) also requires bending and stretching whilst holding every-day weights. It’s a reminder that so many things in our daily routine are hidden forms of exercise equipment and that we’re already moving more than we may realise. 
    • Cooking with Cardio -  As you create your delicious dishes in the kitchen,  the movements you make contribute to a gentle whole body workout. Lifting pots and pans out of the cupboard, chopping ingredients, stirring and mixing all involve small arm movements that can build up to more active cooking. If you’re able to - why not embrace the rhythm of cooking and add some cardio into the mix by doing some light leg lifts, heel digs, or gentle stretching while preparing meals or waiting for them to be cooked. Let the creativity from your dish flow into your movement and have fun with it!
    • Playing with pets or children - engaging in playtime with your pet or little ones in your family, whether it’s throwing toys for them to fetch or chasing them around, can be a fun and natural workout session that engages your entire body depending on how you’re feeling. The joy of interacting with your furry friend adds a dose of happiness to your daily routine, with the release of endorphins, while serving as a reminder that movement can be playful and easily adapted to your physical ability. 
    • Washing the car - isn’t just about cleanliness - it’s a full body workout in disguise, scrubbing and reaching work your arms and core, while bending and stretching engages your legs. Whether taking on the task alone or tackling it together with a friend or family member, washing the car can be a great way to raise your heart rate.
    • Walking and talking - being active whilst on the phone - whether you’re out and about or simply indoors wandering around your living room, is a great way of increasing your step count without even realising you’ve done it. Next time you take a call, let yourself get lost in conversation, and see how far it takes you. 
    • Dusting surfaces or cleaning windows - dusting high shelves or cleaning windows and getting into the hard to reach corners involves stretching and reaching, which activates your upper body and could require balance if you need to step onto something to get to those hard to reach spaces - all of which counts towards your daily physical activity levels.
    • Gardening and getting out in nature - gardening is a holistic workout that combines squatting, bending, lifting and reaching. As you tend to plants and dig in the soil, you’re engaging your entire body. Being outside in nature can also give you a sense of freedom, as well as having benefits for your health, including getting some vitamin D (in the summertime) and fresh air in your lungs. It’s another great example that cultivating an active lifestyle doesn’t have to come at a high cost. If you don’t have a garden, opt for a community or shared garden nearby and share the joy this brings with your community. 
    • Unloading dishwasher or washing-up- unloading and loading the dishwasher contributes to a gentle daily cardio workout that engages your core, arms and legs and contributes to overall muscle tone. As you reach, lift and bend, you’re engaging multiple muscle groups across the body. Hand washing plates, pots or pans, also engages your arm and shoulders as you scrub, rinse and lift plates out of the water and onto the draining board. This simple chore highlights how every action, even ones that are parts of your daily routine, contributes to our daily physical activity levels.
    Read less

Help shape the future of We Are Undefeatable

Alongside Freedom to Move, the campaign has launched its Big Talk: Public Consultation this month (4-30 September) to gather ideas on what’s needed most to support people with health conditions in getting active, which will help shape and develop new resources.

They’re keen to hear from people who live with health conditions, care for others who do, or have a professional interest in the area – for example people working in health or social care, the charity or voluntary sector, sport or physical activity or in local or national government.

If you’d like to get involved and have your say, click below to complete the online survey.
 

Sign up to our newsletter

You can find out exactly how we'll look after your personal data, but rest assured we’ll only use it to make sure you receive our newsletter, to understand how you interact with our newsletter, and to provide administrative information about our newsletter.