Get active, stay active

So you’re looking to build more movement into your everyday life? Taking those first steps, and then making a habit of it, are two of the hardest parts. You don’t need to become a fitness freak overnight – being more active can be part of your everyday routine, and it’s perfectly ok to start off small. So take a look at these quick tips for building a lasting habit of being more active.

Set realistic expectations

Nobody is expecting you to run a marathon! Be kind to yourself and take it one step at a time, even if that means just moving more for a couple of minutes at a time throughout the day, or finding a 10-minute window to do something more active.

Just a few minutes can make a real difference

Short bursts of activity throughout the day can really benefit your health, so if you can’t dedicate lots of spare time to doing something more active, just ensuring you’re moving about while you go through your everyday routine can start to make a difference.

Find someone to do it with

A friend, colleague or group activity can help you stay on track. Try to find someone with similar experience and expectations to you and share the experience together. If you can’t find someone to do it with, even sharing your goals and expectations with a partner or loved one can help you to stick to the new routine.

Go outside

Use what’s around you. Being active outdoors can do wonders for the way you feel so it’s a good idea to try to do some activity outside when you can. Replacing short car journeys with walking or cycling is an excellent way to start being more active outdoors.

Build it into your day

You don’t need to spend hours in the gym. Lots of activities can be worked into your everyday life. Any activity you normally do whilst sedentary is a potential opportunity to build some movement into your everyday life – even watching TV, cooking the dinner or checking your social media profile on your phone.