We all know that being more active is good for us, but if you have been out of the game for a while, knowing why you want to start again, can be half the battle to winning.
With a wide range of classes and activities on offer, clubs around every corner, and an ever-increasing number of events and challenges to be a part of, it’s little surprise that even our best intentions can get lost along the way.
We have had a look at how you can get active and meet your exercise goals, whatever they are.
Improve your fitness
If your main aim is to simply get fit and feel better, then you need to start slowly, giving yourself time and feeling your way ahead, otherwise you can get overwhelmed, puffed out and give up.
Find something you enjoy, because if you like it then you are more likely to stick to it. Take the ‘shoulds’ and ‘musts’ out of the equation and instead look at something you want to go to and find fun. Maybe you love the water and an aqua class would work for you, or you love your bike and need to get it out of the shed, it could even be that joining a netball team will get you off the sofa and into your trainers.
Decide what it is, take your time, be kind and patient with yourself, and as you get fitter and start to see the results of your hard work, be that losing a dress size, being happier or having more energy, you will want to do it more.
Increase stamina
We all know how it feels to run up the stairs or dash for the bus and then feel tired and out of breath! This can be enough to make you want to add some decent cardio to your day and bring your stamina up a level or two. Doing something that’s a little challenging will get your heart, lungs and cardiovascular system really working – and let’s not forget the feel-good chemicals that will pump around your body and the lowering of your blood pressure this kind of exercise can bring.
As well as jogging, aerobics and cycling, how about trying a HIIT class? This stands for High Intensity Interval Training and is basically intense physically exercise done at short intervals of up to half an hour. For example, after warming up, you could do 30 seconds of one exercise like star jumps, followed by a 10 second rest and then one minute on the rowing machine. You will find that just two or three sessions a week is fine as you work hard, and your local gym or sports centre will have classes to get you started.
Better mental health
Not a day goes by without mental wellbeing appearing in the press and there is no doubt that exercise can help make this better. When you move, and we don’t mean to get to the fridge, your body releases endorphins which are the natural chemicals that can help reduce stress and worry.
There are a range of activities you can do to help with this, and they don’t have to be full on body pump classes or doing a triathlon. If you want to boost your mental health, then your sports choice needs to be something you love and look forward to doing, otherwise what’s the point? It could be that you enjoy a brisk walk by the river, get a kick out of step classes or love dancing and that’s what’s important – you love doing it.
As well as something active, also think about adding activities that will nurture your mind and body. This could be yoga, Pilates or Tai-Chi which all help regulate your breathing, clam your mind and simply be present in the moment. The stretches and poses give added flexibility and this is also a great way of meeting new people and making connections, which can help to boost mental health.
Let us know how you get on and what works for you and remember to put your activity into your diary and stick to it.
Team Pure Beauty