Doc MacLean

Don’t laze about... being active can be easy and fun to do

WHETHER it’s hearing the latest government statistics on heart disease or rising levels of obesity, or reading the current celebrity fitness and diet regime in a magazine, there can’t be many of us left unaware of the benefits of being active.

So if we know that exercise is such an important part of a healthy lifestyle why do so few of us manage to be sufficiently active? For most, it is the challenge of motivating ourselves to exercise and maintaining our good intentions long enough to see benefits.

The most common perceived barrier to being active is “I don’t have the time”. How can we maintain the initial motivation and natural eagerness for exercise when the initial flush of enthusiasm wears off? The key, like for so many other things in a busy life, is to plan and prioritise. Most of us will have the must-do things in life, whether caring for children or relatives, work or college or just day-to-day necessities like housework or shopping. All this puts a squeeze on the remaining available time each week. But remember current activity guidelines recommend only 30 minutes of cumulative moderate activity on five days a week, only 1.5 per cent of the total available time each week.

So how can we achieve our goals? I have three simple suggestions:

■ Be realistic and set achievable goals. Accept that it will, at times, be hard work. Sometimes you will feel tired but remember tiredness is usually a healthy sign of having achieved something. If you feel too fatigued cut back the intensity for a spell or change your activity to something less intense. Make it easy and most of all listen to your body and don’t try to do too much too soon or you will get disheartened and give up.

■ Build activity into your daily routine or set aside protected time to exercise. Go for a walk at lunchtime or persuade your employer to promote health at work. Walk to work or with the children to school. If you are a morning person, get up 30 minutes earlier. Go swimming on the way home from work on a set day each week. Being active does not need to be expensive or require new clothes.

■ Most of all – make it fun! Maintaining motivation is impossible if it’s not enjoyable. Exercise with your children as a family or with your partner or a friend. If you like music, be active with music or join a dance class. Pick a new activity you have always wanted to try.

Being active is never a waste of time. In addition to its importance as part of a healthy lifestyle it is great fun. The hard part is to make that commitment to yourself and maintain the motivation to continue.

■ To contact the Hampden Sports Clinic call 0141 616 6161 or visit hampdensportsclinic.