- Go for a walk – whether you get up right this minute, or get out when its convenient for you brisk walking for 20 minutes will get your muscles moving and you heart pumping. Walking releases feel good hormones, this combined with the uplifting effects of getting outside makes it a great way to feel happier and healthier.
- Drink water – dehydration can make you feel tired, sluggish and even less like being active! Aim for 2litres of water a day, more when its warmer. For motivation buy a 1 or 2 litre water bottle and aim to steadily sip your way through it throughout the day. Add sugar free squash or a dash or lemon if you don’t like plain water.
- Get active at home – try an online work-out and get moving in your own living room. There are many fitness videos available on YouTube and Facebook (though its always best to do a bit web searching to make sure the video you’re watching is from a qualified instructor). My favourite workout site is https://www.youtube.com/user/BeFit as it covers everything from Pilates to Aerobics, beginners to advanced!
- Make a plan- book an exercise class, arrange a swimming trip with a friend or simply write “walk to work” on your calendar. Making arrangements will put your plans to be active into action, and setting goals can boost your motivation.
- Get a pedometer, or a walking app. – These are great tools for tracking your activity. They help you to be more active and make progress each day as you can see how many steps you have done across the week, some will also measure time spent exercising or the distance you have covered, giving you a target to match or beat. Try the “map my walk” app for smartphones. It records distance, pace, steps and more and has a highly rated sister app “map my run”. You can download it right away and start tracking instantly!
