We all know how important it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It negates certain health conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and even some cancers. It improves the blood and osygen delivery around our bodies, and lifts confidence and mood.
This includes a healthy diet, as well as more exercise. That can be a scary word - "exercise". It conjures up images of working in a gym, sweating for an hour, lifting weights, running hard, etc.
But it does not have to be that way. We can all find ways to improve our activity levels.
Timing
This is two fold. Firstly, when do we exercise. We fee like we have to find an hour's gap in our schedule. But that does not have to be the case. I recall chatting with someone who told me, in all seriousness, that her week was so busy there was never time for her to exercise. None. The whole week!!!
The other side is how long we need to exercise for. Again, some people think if they cannot get to a gym and spend an hour running and stretching and using weights then there was no point in start to do any fitness.
How about a brisk ten minute walk - can be to the shop, or to work,, or round the local park. Do this two or three times a day. Small increases in activity are easier to maintain and will give you a regular feeling of success. Create little targets for you to hit. Put down the phone, turn off the television, and give your body a chance to sweat and push itself. We even had a lady who would do five mins of exercise during the adverts of her favourite show. If you want to do it, you will find the time. So ask yourself; how badly do you want to reach your targets?
Enjoy it
Even the thought of exercise can be daunting. Not everyone like to run, or cycle, or swim.
But there has to be something you enjoy. If you say no to this, then maybe you are suffering from depression or anxiety - if so, go and get some professional help.
Some might like to dance, others a ball game, and others just walking a dog. If you find an activity fun, you are more likely to keep doing it again and again.
Get outdoors
Yes, you can exercise at home. It is a terrific way to keep fit. But getting outdoors can be rewarding. Our planet is astonishing. It has so much to offer you. Yes, many stay stuck indoors in front of televisions and screens. Find a natural resort like a park. Outside activities like jogging, walking, cycling, even gardening, can improve well being, and even give you a sense of grounding and perspective. Fresh air into your lungs - but try, with exercise, to get yourself slightly breathless. This opens the lungs more, you take larger breaths, improving oxygen intake.
Take your time
One of the reasons people give up on New Year Resolutions is that they want instant success and feel they have to go all in, or there is no point. They go from no activity to wanting to do two hours a day, and when they naturally fall at an early hurdle they then don't get back up and carry on.
Build up gradually. Go from an extra ten minutes a day, to twenty, to thirty, but change it up over weeks and months.
Too much exercise can make stress worse or even cause injury. Find something that motivates you, set challenges, and achievable goals - but then keep adding to them.
Find friends to motivate you and work with
This could be the biggest advantage. Find people who appreciate your goals, but also want to change their lives too. They can walk with you, jog with you, exercise with you. It will help you maintain and reach your targets. Maybe look our for local clubs and groups that you enjoy. It's a terrific way to meet new friends, which again combats isolation and loneliness, and both of these can quickly cripple you.
Positive mindset
Finally, this is the most important of all. Celebrate progress. Understand that it will be a rocky road and you will undoubtedly fail sometimes, but this does not mean you should give up. See obstacles as something to overcome, and not something to block your path. Set realistic goals and go for them 100%. Get professional help if you feel you need it, but try and surround yourself with people who know your targets.
HMHB says:
At HMHB, we have all had to overcome situations that had the potential to seriously derail us. Staying physically active is paramount to helping you move on in life. It keeps you energised and confident. It is very easy to slip into a rut. But it is your responsibility to make the best choices possible to give you every chance of a better healthier life.
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