Staying active
Staying active is great for keeping your heart healthy
and - along with eating a healthy diet - can help
you manage your weight. It's worth the fight.
If you're new to exercise, find out what you can do to start
getting active. If you're already do
regular physical activity, take a look at ways you can increase the
challenge and be active every day.
For those of you who are somewhere in between, read on.
Top tip: keep a record
A weekly
activity diary helps you see how you're doing on a regular
basis. You can also look back at how far you've come
over time and chart
your progress.
The first question to ask yourself is what do you want to
achieve? Setting yourself short, medium and long-term goals will
give you something to aim for. For example a short term goal might
be to jog for 30 minutes, twice a week. A long-term goal could be
taking part in a BHF event.
9 ways to get more active
You'll soon feel the benefits when you become more active. You'll feel fitter, have more energy, be more relaxed and have more confidence.
1. Start small
If 150 minutes of physical activity a week seems like a lot,
don't worry. You can break it down into ten minute sessions
throughout the day and build up from there.
2. Be realistic about your goals
Set yourself realistic goals that are specific and achievable.
For example,
set a goal to walk 30 minutes every day or learn how to
swim.
3. Make exercise part of your day
Plan a time to do some physical activity that fits in with the
rest of your day and try keeping an
activity diary to help monitor your progress and success.
If you miss a day, don't worry - just make sure you start again the
next day.
4. Keep moving
Remember, everyday activities count, so look out for
opportunities to be active during the day.
For example, use the stairs instead of the escalators, walk to
the local shop rather than taking the car and do some stretches
when watching TV. Every ten minutes counts!
Don't forget to have fun
Choose activities that you enjoy to help you achieve your goals
and keep you motivated. Why not give ballroom dancing,
tennis, trampolining, yoga or pilates a
try?
5. You don't have to go it alone
Involve friends and family to make activities more fun, sociable
and enjoyable. Go jogging with a friend and support and motivate
each other, take the children swimming or join an exercise
class.
6. Make sure you get plenty of variety
Make a list of enjoyable activities, such as dancing and yoga,
and place them in a jar. Pick a different activity to do each week.
By varying your activities, you are less likely to get bored and
lose interest.
7. Set reminders where you can see them
Prompt yourself to be more physically active by keeping
reminders around the house. Put Post-it notes on the fridge door or
by the kettle, place your cycling helmet on your dressing table or
put your walking shoes near the door.
8. Keep an eye on your progress
Our online shop sells step pedometers.
You can use a pedometer to count the number of steps you walk
each day. It's easy to use. All you need is a good pair of
shoes and you are ready to take a step in the right direction, so
you can push yourself to go that bit further next time you
exercise.
Walking is an ideal activity as it's free and easy to do
anywhere. You could walk your children to school and back every
day, take the dog for a walk or find a local park and go walking
with a friend.
9. Reward yourself
Recognise when you achieve your goals. Think of things that you
could reward yourself with, like a copy of your favourite magazine,
a new pair of trainers or a massage.
When doing regular physical activity becomes
a habit, and you're looking for new challenges, why not see how you
can take it up a notch?