Can you carry on exercising when your motivation slips, the weather gets worse or your schedule becomes overwhelming? 

When it comes to exercise, we often think about becoming fit, but starting it is not the problem, it’s maintaining it. The UK Government’s guidelines state that adults should do strength exercises, as well as 150 minutes of moderate activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week.

 A person’s motivation, or the lack of it is only part of the bigger picture. There are so many stumbling blocks to consider, including money, parenting demands or even where you live. Fatigue, depression, work stress or ill family members can all have an impact on physical activity. Generally, people with a good support network will find it easier to maintain physical activity. 

Keeping active and taking regular exercise has several benefits, even if you’ve   been inactive for years. At any age, a routine of exercise helps to strengthen muscles and can improve your balance, stamina and suppleness, reducing your risk of falling and experiencing a serious injury by keeping active.

Fitness for busy Families 

• Set a time for physical activity and stick to it. You’re more likely to find time to be active if you do it at the same time and on the same days each week.
• Split activity up throughout the day – you can achieve your target in bouts of 10 minutes or more. Try these 10-minute workouts 
• Walk your children to and from school. This will also help them develop a pattern of physical activity.
• Be active with your child. Take them to the swimming pool, or play in the garden or park. Get ideas on fun activities from change4life.
• Take up running – if you’re just starting out, try our popular couch to 5K running plan.
• Improve your strength and flexibility with strength and flex, a 5-week exercise workout plan.
• Join a child-friendly gym. Find a class or club that accepts children or offers childcare during a workout.
• Set up a buggy group with other parents and go on long walks with the children.

Exercise tips

• If you don’t want to exercise outside on your own, buddy up with a friend, or use an exercise DVD.
• Senior sports or fitness classes keep you motivated and can be fun, relieve stress and help you meet friends.
• Heavy gardening – including pushing, bending, squatting, carrying, digging and shovelling – can provide a good workout.
• Walking is the easiest way to increase your activity levels. Find a friend to walk with, or join a walking group for some extra motivation. 
• Yoga is suitable for all ability levels. It combines a series of poses with breathing, and is good for building strength, flexibility and balance.
• Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese art that builds strength, flexibility and balance through slow and controlled movements.
• Pilates focuses on stretching and strengthening the whole body to improve balance, muscle strength, flexibility and posture. 
• Attempt to do at least 1 of 6 routines daily, this will improve your general health and strengthen and tone different muscle groups. Not forgetting to warm up first to prevent injury. 
• Swimming is a fun way to get fitter, whether you do lengths of the pool or having a good splash about. 
• Cycling is a great alternative to the car or bus. You don’t even need to have somewhere to get to – for a bike ride is a fun activity.
• Dance for fun, all you need are some great tunes and you can have fun dancing anywhere.

1. Exercise controls weight

Physical activity and exercise can help prevent additional weight gain or help maintain weight loss. When engaging in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn.

2. Exercise combats health conditions and diseases

Concerned about heart disease? Hoping to prevent high blood pressure? No matter what your current weight is, being active boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the “good” cholesterol, and it decreases unhealthy triglycerides. Intern keeps your blood flowing smoothly, which reduces your risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Regular exercise helps prevent or manage many health problems and concerns, including:

• Stroke
• Metabolic syndrome
• High blood pressure
• Type 2 diabetes
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Many types of cancer
• Arthritis
• Falls

It can also help improve cognitive function and helps lower the risk of death from all causes.

3. Exercise improves mood

Want an emotional lift? Or want to blow off some steam after a hectic day? A gym session or brisk walk can help. Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that could leave you feeling happier, more relaxed and less anxious.

You may also feel better about your appearance and yourself when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.

4. Exercise boosts energy

A regular routine of physical activity will improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance. Exercise transports oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to tackle daily chores.

5. Exercise promotes better sleep

Struggling to sleep? Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster, get better sleep and deepen your sleep. Just don’t exercise too close to bedtime, or you may be too energized to go to sleep.

6. Exercise puts the spark back into your sex life

Do you feel too tired or too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Regular physical activity can improve energy levels and increase your confidence about your physical appearance, which may boost your sex life. But there’s even more to it than that. Regular physical activity may enhance arousal for women. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don’t exercise.

7. Exercise can be fun … and social!

Exercise and physical activity can be enjoyable. They give you a chance to unwind, enjoy the outdoors or simply engage in activities that make you happy. Physical activity can also help you connect with family or friends in a fun social setting. So take a dance class, hit the hiking trails or join a soccer team. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and just do it. Bored? Try something new, or do something with friends or family.