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Hassle free exercise
Section three: Who can be more active?
Everyone can benefit from being more active.
It might be that you don’t get enough exercise or that you don’t get enough of the right kind of exercise. You might think you’re too tired after a hard day to do anything except flop in front of the TV but you would be surprised how much better you will feel if you get up and do something.
It doesn’t matter you old you are, 16 or 66, you can be more active in a way that you enjoy and which suits you.
Where you live might mean some activities are difficult, e.g. if there’s no local swimming pool, but there are other things you can do instead.
Men and women, single or with a partner, with children or without – it doesn’t matter. There are many different ways you can enjoy being more active. You don’t have to be ‘sporty’ or basically fit already and of course disabled people can get as much out of being active too.
Safety Tip
- Many activities can be safer and might be more fun if you do them with a friend. See ‘Which activities’ for safety tips for various types of activity.
- Try to avoid walking alone at night.
- Keep to well lit areas.
- Carrying a personal alarm is a good safety precaution. You can buy them from hardware or DIY stores.
If you have been fairly inactive up to now, don’t go to extremes and rush straight into being very active. Being active too quickly might also make you more vulnerable to injuries from over-using your muscles and joints. Building up gradually over time is what you’re aiming for.
Medical conditions should not necessarily stop people from being more active. Physical activity can help the following conditions:
- HEART TROUBLES
- STRESS
- BRONCHITIS
- OSTEOPOROSIS
- INSOMNIA
- POOR CIRCULATION
- ARTHRITIS
- DEPRESSION
- OVERWEIGHT
- RAISED BLOOD PRESSURE
- MENOPAUSAL SYMPTOMS
The types and levels of activity suggested in this booklet are suitable for anyone with these conditions.
Swimming is a recommended activity during pregnancy and for those who are overweight or who have arthritis in their legs.
Physical activity programmes have also been found to help people who are recovering from drug or alcohol addiction.
The ideas and suggestions in the first part of this book will give you a start and, if you want to, you can move on to other things after you’ve convinced yourself that you can do it.