Leap over your fitness hurdles
WHAT’S TOPPING you from exercising? It’s usually a build-up of excuses. Any medical practitioner will tell you why regular physical activity helps you live longer and be healthier. Cholesterol too high? You feel too heavy? Want to be more active with your children or grandchildren? Want to live longer? These are just some of the normal reasons for wanting to be more active. So what can you do, without spending hundreds of pounds on an unused gym membership or losing confidence in how you feel and look?
To stop making excuses, we need to overcome them, so let’ s explore the most common “reasons” for being inactive and come up with solutions.
“I AM TOO OLD”
In January, Jewish Care welcomed Britain’s oldest fitness instructor, Minnie Solomons, age 102 and a great grandmother, someone who disagreed with the idea that anyone is “too old”. Whatever your age, no-one is expecting you to do what you could do when you were younger. You can do light and easy exercise like Boccia (a seated ball sport) or other seated exercises such as stretching and build from there.
“I DON’T HAVE THE TIME”
Let’s see how you can incorporate exercise into what you’re already doing. Do you walk anywhere? Can you walk a little further or a little faster? Do you play with your children or grandchildren? Can you play for a little longer? Perhaps you have friends who are more active than you? Ask them how a beginner can get involved in whatever it is they do. Doing ten minutes of activity, even around the house, is considered exercise, as long as it makes your heart rate rise… so maybe go up the stairs once or twice more.
“I’M INJURED/HAVE A HEALTH CONDITION”
Seek medical advice before you take up any form of exercise. Ask your doctor, physiotherapist or specialist and they will gladly tell you how to incorporate physical activity into your day, despite your injury or condition. With advice from a medical practitioner and professional support from a physical activity specialist such as a personal trainer, you can assist the rehabilitation process from your injury and alleviate some health conditions, simply by doing some activity.
There go the reasons/excuses — and in place, easy suggestions to get you active. But one reason we have yet to cover is the dreaded C-word... Covid-19. Perhaps you are isolating or can’t go to the gym or have less money than before. On the Maccabi GB YouTube Channel, you will see lots of exercises you can do at home that will keep you active, strong, flexible and raising your heart rate. Too easy? Do them faster, or for longer, with cans of beans or something heavier. Too hard? Do them more slowly, for less time, with no weights.
You have probably heard this all before. Which is fine; it means that the advice is consistent and the only thing stopping you from being more active, I am sorry to say, is you! What is it we tell our children and grandchildren :“always do your best”, “you need to try”, “never give up”? So why is it when we are older, this solid advice is ignored?
Show your family and friends you can do anything you put your mind to. Set yourself small targets to start off. The endorphins of reaching that number of steps, or jogging round the block will encourage you to continue. You could even aim at doing the 5km walk at the Maccabi GB Community Fun Run 2021. So now what’s your excuse?