Family Fitness Magazine

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step“ (Lao Tsu)

and starting on a journey towards becoming more active is a step in the right direction. So what stops us? Usually the first barriers to overcome are the negative excuses:-

“It’s Too Hard”: Yes it does take some effort to move out of our comfort zones and we need the stick and the carrot to make the donkey in us move. When we are driven by a desire to change and motivated by ultimate goals, whether that be more energy or staying younger, it’s not that hard to start being active.

“I don’t’ have time”: You do have to make the time or rather you have to make better use of your time. After all, changing sedentary routines into more active ones uses the same amount of time. Switch some of that TV/computer time into activity time or some of those short car journeys into walks.

“It’s boring”: How do you know if you have not tried? Or maybe you tried the wrong kind of fitness routines for your personality or lifestyle. You may need to sample a variety of activities before you find ones that you really like.

3 Tips to Get you Started:
– Start with an activity that you don’t have to learn new skills for, such as walking, cycling or swimming
– Start with a friend or a family member for encouragement and support
– Start at a pace that is suitable for your health, lifestyle and limitations

We asked personal trainer Lisa Hill for her thoughts:
“Motivate Yourself: Find a reason to begin an activity and keep that goal in mind when you exercise or better still write it down. If it helps to motivate you, track your progress by ticking off your activity days If you lose motivation, set new goals or try a new activity
Pace Yourself: Aim to start doing something a couple of times a week and then build it up gradually. Pick a time that suits your diary and lifestyle and begin doing some activity on the same days each week. That way, it quickly becomes part of your weekly routine.
Enjoy Yourself: Choose something that suits you – if you dislike aerobic exercise then don’t force yourself to go jogging. It’s better to enjoy brisk walking each week than dread your next run on the tread mill.

It is true that getting started is often the hardest part, but remember, you only have to do it once, as after that, you have started!!!”

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