Winter is over and Spring has sprung!
Now that we are starting to get some warm and sunny days it is a fantastic time to get back into an exercise routine.
Whether you prefer to walk, run or ride, cardiovascular fitness is fantastic for your physical and mental health.
There are a number of benefits of regular exercise such as:
- Helps to lose and maintain weight
- Aids sleep
- Reduces chronic pain
- Strengthens your immune system
- Boosts your mood
So whether you want to lose the extra winter kilos, improve your mental health or just want to be more active, getting into a regular exercise routine is a great way to help.
So where to start?
It’s not necessary to go from doing no exercise to spending hours out walking, running or riding and it can actually be harmful to make this change very quickly. Instead it’s important to consider your own fitness level before returning to exercise.
My Tips
Start small and slow – Starting with a little bit of exercise (even just 10 minutes) and doing this slowly at a comfortable pace is the best way to make sure you don’t push yourself too hard and cause an injury. Once you feel comfortable with this and have done a few short sessions start to slowly build up the time or intensity.
Set yourself a target or goal – If you have a goal that you’re walking towards whether it be a fun run, a hike or weight loss having a goal helps you stay motivated and establish healthy habits.
Be social – Exercise doesn’t have to be done alone, so why not start with a friend or family member and get healthier together. Making a commitment with another person also keeps you accountable and means that you are less likely to miss an exercise session.
Rest! – There is no need to push yourself too hard or past what your body can handle. It is important to make sure you have rest/breaks from exercise particularly if you are exercising at a high intensity. Rest also means sleep, make sure you are getting a good amount of sleep to ensure your body is recovering optimally.
If you need more help to get started with exercise come into Physio Elements and a physiotherapist can help to create an exercise program for you.