How to improve your fitness

How to improve your fitness 15th November 2019

Anyone can get active, it’s easy to start and it’s never too late. Anything that gets you moving is physical activity and it benefits you whatever your age. Get motivated to improve your fitness.

It might be hard to get motivated, especially if it’s cold and raining outside. But, you can exercise and get active anywhere - at home, work or outside.

Choose a reason for becoming more active
Ask yourself why are you being active. Maybe you want to lose weight, sleep better, increase your energy, gain strength, add muscle tone and flexibility, or just feel good.

Choose an activity that you enjoy
Choose activities you enjoy. Variety is key, if you get bored with one activity, try a different one.

Set goals and chart your progress
Set a realistic goal for yourself to achieve. Keep a diary, a chart or use an online app to track your progress. You can track your steps using a pedometer or a health app on your phone. Enjoy the challenge and remember to progress slowly.

Don’t punish yourself
Everyone has bad days when they might not do some or all of an activity. Just ignore it and get back on track the next day.

Give yourself rewards
When you achieve goals or steps to a goal, give yourself a treat - preferably a healthy one.

Try to do some activity on most days of the week
Most of us lead very busy lives and are juggling jobs and family duties. Setting a specific time aside each day will help you to build activity into your daily routine.

Get support
Go walking or jogging with friends, colleagues or family to make it more enjoyable and motivate you. Join a club or online community to track your progress.

Starting your fitness habit
Whatever your age or ability, any activity is better than none.

Keep in mind:

short bouts count - you can reach your 30 minutes per day goal, 10 minutes at a time
choose activities that are right for you - get advice from your GP
spread your activities throughout the day and week
add activities which increase muscular strength and endurance 2 to 3 days a week
Aim for moderate intensity activity. Moderate activity will raise your heart rate and make you breathe faster and feel warmer.

For example:

brisk walking - 1 mile in 15 minutes
water aerobics
cycling slower than 10 miles per hour
dancing
general gardening
You can try building up to vigorous levels of activity to double the health benefits. 75 minutes of vigorous activities such as jogging, football and energetic dancing have similar benefits to 150 minutes of moderate exercise.

Activity for your age
You should aim for certain amounts of activity depending on your age:

children and young people - at least 60 minutes moderate-intensity activity daily
adults - at least 30 minutes moderate-intensity activity 5 days a week
older people - at least 30 minutes moderate-intensity activity 5 days a week
If you are unable to reach these goals, start in small amounts and work your way up to these levels.