From June onwards, this summer has turned into a true celebration of sport and exercise. It started with the Euros football tournament which was followed by Wimbledon. Now we have the spectacle of the Olympics and for rugby fans there’s the Lions Tour of South Africa. We have the new cricket ‘The Hundred’ series as well. However, it can all turn into an armchair activity, admiring the very fit while not flexing a single muscle!
Surely the best way of showing an appreciation of the sporting efforts of these athletes would be to start exercising and getting fit. The family I was born into were great armchair sports enthusiasts. Every sport was devoured through the TV screen: football, rugby, the Olympics, Wimbledon, cricket. I was quite active as a child and used to go swimming every week and played netball at school. Looking back though, I could have been involved more in exercise; I loved reading and music as hobbies and homework always took precedence.
It’s important to encourage the youngsters in the family to get out and be active. It’s easier to keep up an exercise habit when you are an adult if it feels a normal part of your way of life from childhood. Why is it so important to include exercise as part of your every day or weekly activities? This list below taken from nhs.uk shows why. It’s medically proven that people who do regular physical activity have:
- up to a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
- up to a 50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes
- up to a 50% lower risk of colon cancer
- up to a 20% lower risk of breast cancer
- a 30% lower risk of early death
- up to an 83% lower risk of osteoarthritis
- up to a 68% lower risk of hip fracture
- a 30% lower risk of falls (among older adults)
- up to a 30% lower risk of depression
- up to a 30% lower risk of dementia
Read or view the articles and videos below for more information and advice on how to active, whatever your current level of fitness. You’ll learn that you don’t need to aim for superfitness status; just 30 minutes activity a day of moderate level exertion is enough to protect your health.
Benefits of Exercise on nhs.uk
Benefits of Exercise by Dr Adrian Raby, GP on bupa.co.uk
The Health Benefits of Exercise by Richard N Fogoros, MD on verywellhealth.com
Health and Wellbeing in Sport on bbc.co.uk
Hate Exercise? 5 Tips That May Change Your Mind by the American Heart Association on heart.org
How to Find Workout Motivation When You Hate Exercise by Maria Brilaki on lifehack.org
Benefits of Exercise by BUPA Health UK on YouTube
10 Benefits of Exercise on the Brain and the Body – Why You Need Exercise by Practical Wisdom – Interesting Ideas on YouTube
How Exercise Benefits Your Body by MooMooMath and Science on YouTube
How Playing Sports Benefits Your Body…..And Your Brain by Leah Lagos and Jaspal Ricky Singh on TED-Ed on YouTube