Now is the Time
What to do next
01.
Walk
Walking is excellent exercise, and it doesn’t cost much, just a pair of good shoes and off you go
02.
Jog
A little more effort than walking, but if you can do it the rewards are clear. Just find yourself a decent pair of running shoes
03.
Cycle
It doesn’t matter whether you’re riding a bike around your neighbourhood or doing 200 miles every Sunday, cycling is a great way to improve your health. Sure, the athletes can spend lots on their bicycles, but it needn’t be that way – any bicycle will do. Just make sure that it has been serviced recently and that the brakes are effective.
04.
Run
Running is like jogging, but faster. It is excellent exercise, but if you’re not a seasoned runner give your body time to adapt to the stresses of running compared with walking/jogging. A decent pair of trainers is a must, but there’s no need to go overboard.
05.
Gym
Gyms really can make a difference – for a start there’ll be others to motivate you, there’s often people to help, and indoor gyms are always dry inside. Just remember that gyms don’t work if you never go to them, so if you get a membership keep it up!
06.
Everything Else!
There are so many things to do – Aerobics, Yoga, Football, Racket Sports – the most important thing is that you commit and keep doing it!
Keep motivated!
Get a workout partner
Staying motivated is easier if you’ve got others to keep you motivated.
Find someone with similar goals and see if they’d like to partner with you. You can keep one another motivated for the challenge
Make your commitment public
If you tell others about your plans they can help. So, announce to your friends and family that you’ve got goals and that you intend to keep to them. They’ll encourage you and help you get over the difficult times
Follow @Sportsolution21 to let us help you on your journey!
Set goals and stick to them
We all need goals to reach for, so make a commitment where you know what you want to achieve – and make it easy for others to know too.
Make your goal sufficiently tough that you’ll feel great to have reached them
But be realistic – setting goals that you’ll never reach might ‘stretch’ you, but that’ll make it more difficult to succeed. Make that goal something that you know you can achieve if you put the effort in
Psychologists say that one of the main reasons for failing a resolution is not being specific enough – if you’re looking for a way to keep motivated, try one of these…
The Sportsolution ladder - beginners
Choose your activity (perhaps walking) and commit to doing one day a week in March, two days a week in April, three in May, and so on up to doing every day for the month of September. It sounds easy, but you’ll have to stay committed!
The Sportsolution ladder - returners
Were you active until recently, but it’s all gone downhill in the last couple of years? Choose your activity (perhaps jogging 2-3 days a week) and commit to increasing your distance every month – one km in March, 2km in April, all the way to 7km distance in September. You should be able to keep that up – but it’ll take willpower!
Keep Going
Are you active but need something to keep you motivated? Commit to 4 days a week at your favourite exercise or sporting activity. Make sure you keep it up!
Couch to 5K
A great way to get yourself moving. There are loads of places to look online for a couch to 5k plan, but the NHS page is a good place to start
Parkrun
Parkruns are 5km runs arranged for a Saturday in cities and towns all over the world. It is a healthy distance – not to short, not to far – and the commitment can really help with motivation. Perhaps aim to complete one in under 30 minutes…