Getting Older doesn’t mean you have to slow down…

The benefits of being mentally and physically active are enormous; it can improve your health by helping lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, helping you manage your weight, improving your balance and coordination and keeping your bones strong.

It can also benefit your general well being and confidence, reduce depression and anxiety, help you meet more people and increase the amounts of energy you have to do your daily tasks with ease.

What Should I do?

Recent UK physical activity guidelines suggest all adults should aim to be active for 2.5hrs a week, which can be broken down into 5 sessions of 30minutes. For some people this may mean a trip to the gym or an exercise class, but for others it may be more appropriate to go for a brisk walk, do a spot of gardening, go dancing or do some chair based exercises. It is also important where possible, to work on improving muscle strength a couple of times a week, which can be anything from lifting weights to carrying shopping home.

People with an illness or disability can still take part in exercise. For advice on what is available for your particular situation please contact a member of the fitness team at the leisure centres who will be able to offer advice.

The following web pages provides you with a number of opportunities that currently exist within the borough that you can take advantage of to help get physically and mentally active. To help take that first step why not encourage a friend or family member to join in? Exercising with other like minded people is a good way to get going and more importantly stay motivated. Think about making small changes in your every day routine to incorporate a bit more activity. Find something you enjoy and go for it.