Tens of millions of pounds will be spent advising Britons to stop using lifts, to dig the garden and to walk more often in a change of tactics aimed at ending the growing 'couch potato' culture.

Ministers admit that efforts to get the nation more active and tackle obesity through promoting sport and fitness have failed. Now they want to encourage people to become healthier through simple activities such as walking and cycling rather than aerobics, squash or football.

Ministers will sweep away decades of official advice by stressing that the most realistic way to shake the nation out of its increasingly sedentary habits is by short daily bursts of activity. A media blitz will tell people that they can add years to their lives by cycling to work, doing more gardening, using stairs rather than lifts and pushing the baby's pram. Under the banner 'Everyday sport: every body feels better for it', a pilot campaign will be launched next month in the North East, which has the lowest level of participation in active recreational pursuits in England. It will try to tackle the disenchantment many people feel with traditional sport.

The campaign is being run by Sport England and will be launched by an array of celebrities and leading politicians. If successful, it is likely to become the basis for a national campaign costing tens of millions of pounds a year. Sport England is seeking £30 million a year for three years.

Sports Minister Dick Caborn will unveil details of the plan this week. Whitehall sources say the mounting tide of obesity has convinced Ministers that action needs to be taken. Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell admits that people cannot be forced to go to the gym.

Felicity Porritt, director of the pro-activity Move4Health pressure group, said: 'We are eating more and doing less than our parents and grandparents. So to halt the weight gain, it's as much about increasing the amount of activity we do as it is about reducing the amount of food we consume.'

A Department of Culture, Media and Sport spokesman said: 'We have seen evidence from other countries such as Germany, Finland and Australia that campaigns can deliver real benefits in terms of getting people fitter and reducing levels of obesity. If we are to push the message home about getting Britons more active, we will need to have a campaign too.'

Everyday sport

Forget the gym workouts - this is what you should do:

Push the baby's pram around the block for a while

Do some gardening

Get off the bus or train one stop early and walk the rest of the way

Use your local park or common for a jog or kickabout

Explore the countryside on foot

Cycle as often as possible

Leave the car at home and walk

Swim at your local pool

Walk up stairs; don't use lifts