Ways to get active

Ways to get active

Being physically active every day can help to maintain a healthy weight can prevent a range of physical and mental illness as well as reduce or delay physical limitations in later life.

There are many ways everyone can build physical activity into their lives. Being physically active is easier than you think, especially if you make activity part of your daily routine.

Guidelines for being physically active

Being physically active every day can help to maintain a healthy weight improve sleep, prevent a range of physical and mental illness and disease including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, depression and anxiety and reduce or delay physical limitations in later life.

The chief medical officer recommends the following guidelines for how much physical activity people should be doing:

  • under 5 year olds: at least 180 minutes per day
  • 15 to 18 year olds: at least 60 minutes per day
  • 19 to 64 year olds: at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity per week in bouts of 10 minutes
  • 65 year olds and older: 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity per week in bouts of 10 minutes
  • For examples of physical activity that meets the guidelines visit GOV.UK - UK physical activity guidelines.

The NHS has information about exercise guidelines and workouts to help improve your fitness and wellbeing, find out more here: Exercise - NHS

Building more activity into your and your family's life

Local opportunities

The district council websites have information with local opportunities for being active:

Worcestershire Health Walks aim to improve the county’s health and wellbeing by encouraging more people to become physically active through the simplest form of exercise, walking. The scheme introduces walking through a series of local short group walks led by a trained volunteer walk leader for people with a low level of activity or a long-term health condition.

Leisure centres in Worcestershire

Visit the following websites to find leisure centres in your area:

Freedom Leisure- Worcester and Malvern
Places Leisure- Wyre Forest
Rubicon Leisure- Redditch
Everyone Active- Bromsgrove
Rivers Fitness- Wychavon

Better Health – Let’s do this

Your health matters. There has never been a better time to kickstart your health. Better Health has a range of tools and support to help - find what works for you. Let's do this!  Start your journey to better health and download the free NHS weight loss plan to help you start healthier eating habits, be more active and start losing weight.

The plan is broken down into 12 weeks so you can:

  • set weight loss goals
  • use the BMI calculator to customise your plan
  • plan your meals
  • make healthier food choices
  • get more active and burn more calories
  • record your activity and progress

Don’t worry, the app makes it easy for you - just take it one week at a time. Let’s make "one day" today!

To download the app or to find out more visit NHS Better Health.

Couch to 5k

Couch to 5K is a running plan for absolute beginners. It was developed by a new runner, Josh Clark, who wanted to help his fifty-something mum get off the couch and start running, too. The plan involves 3 runs a week, with a day of rest in-between, and a different schedule for each of the 9 weeks.

Being active in the early years

Keeping active postnatally

There is advice and support about being active after having a baby on the webpages below:

Keeping active in the early years

For information about being keeping your family active, visit the webpages below:

You can also sign up for Better Health: Start for Life weekly emails for expert advice, videos and tips on pregnancy, birth and beyond.

Change4Life

To help kids get the recommended 60 minutes exercise a day change4life has 10 minutes shake-up games, Disney’s sports quiz, information on sports and activities, accessible activities and indoor activities. To find out more visit Change4Life - Activities.

Other opportunities

NHS Choices

The NHS Choices website provides information on the amount of activity you need to do each week. The amount is dependent on your age. Find out what you or your family members should be doing and how often.

Apps

  • Active 10 Walking Tracker app
  • Couch to 5K app

To download the apps visit Better Health - More ways to kickstart your health.

Useful Links

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