Out & About July 2017

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Something I hear all too often is “I’ve left
it too late”, “there is no point starting
now” or “it isn’t a good idea to start at
my age, I may hurt myself” – the list
could go on.
But it couldn’t be further from the truth.
It’s never too late to begin or restart exercising
and, whatever your age, exercise is of fantastic
benefit to the body and mind.
The NHS guidelines suggest that everyone
should be doing at least 150 minutes of
moderate activity every week.
The easiest way to achieve this is do
something every day for at least 10 minutes.
If you do 30 minutes five days a week you
will be able to meet the guidelines. This is the
minimum amount, so don’t stop if you feel you
can do more.
To achieve the moderate activity threshold,
you will need to do activities that raise your
heart rate – for example brisk walking, water
aerobics, riding a bike or mowing the lawn.
In addition to these activities, it is also
recommended that you “work your muscles”
by doing activities such as weight training,
carrying heavy loads and gardening – for
example digging, would put your muscles
under load.
A simple change that everyone can make is to
try and sit less.
Many people spend large periods of the day
sitting – for some it is up to 10 hours every day.
Whether it be watching the TV, at the computer,
driving, reading or listening to music, most of
the time people are seated.
If these are common activities for you and you
are aware that you spend long periods of time
not moving, the key is to try to get up and walk
about regularly. Ideally every 15 minutes or so,
but try not to go longer than 60 minutes without
getting up.
Some of the activities that you sit to do may be
able to be done while standing or even walking
around, such as making a phone call.
One of my focuses when I train people is lifting
weights and being able to lift themselves. This
is something that can seem incredibly daunting
to some people.
Not only that, but there is a common
misconception that it isn’t beneficial to start
lifting weights. As the joints and muscles start
to ache, this is exactly the time to make sure
you use them and keep or make them stronger.
Muscles support your skeleton and joints, if
they deteriorate and weaken the chances are
your posture and general mobility will reduce.
Weight lifting is proven to reduce the risk of
osteoporosis and preserve bone density, as
well as reduce the risk of chronic illnesses
such as heart disease, arthritis and type 2
diabetes. It can also improve sleep and reduce
depression.
It’s never too late to start doing more and trying
something new like lifting weights, so why not
give it a go?
If you are unsure or want to make sure
it is suitable for you to get started it is
recommended that you discuss it with your
doctor and you may also want some guidance
from a fitness professional to get you moving in
the right direction.
The benefits are numerous. Make a start and
get ready to feel better on the inside and out
don’t let age be a reason to stop you.
Personal trainer Vicki Brown is the founder
of LiveFitNow, based in Wash Common.
For a free consultation, more information
and links to online home fitness videos, visit:
7
Young
at heart
Think you’ve left it too late to get fitter and
stronger? Vicki Brown says you are never too
old to start making a change
1. Get up and move
throughout the day
2. Do at least 150 minutes
of moderate activity
each week
3. Work your muscles
by doing weight-
bearing activities
4. Be prepared to try
something new
SIMPLE STEPS
CAN IMPROVE
YOUR FITNESS 4