How to keep active for free

Some may struggle to keep fit and active, particularly if they are on a tight budget. However, you can help them by providing useful information. They should be aware that keeping fit and active need not cost a fortune and there is always a fun and economical way of keeping healthy and looking their best.With a little bit of research and planning, it is easy enough to make use of many forms of simple exercise that are suitable for all ages and all levels of fitness. As with any form of activity, people should start off slowly and if they have any particular health problems, check with their doctor before going ahead.

Start from couch to 5K
Start from couch to 5K

Getting their walking shoes on

These days it is very easy to get into the habit of avoiding walking by using cars, public transport and lifts etc. but walking is actually a great form of exercise that everyone can get involved in. Not only can it raise people’s mood but because it burns calories, they will lose weight, feel healthier and get their body nicely warmed up with some aerobic activity. It doesn’t have to be a marathon either; people can begin by walking for a few minutes on a regular basis and gradually increase it. Little and often is the secret and they will find it as effective as going to the gym.

Check out this link to find details of your local Walking for Health scheme, England’s largest network of walks to keep people healthy:

https://www.walkingforhealth.org.uk/walkfinder

Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K (C25K) is all about running and for those that want an activity that is a little more strenuous than walking. Designed specifically to get even non-runners moving, it is great for health, aiding weight loss and giving the heart and lungs a good workout. Many runners also report feeling much happier with an improved sense of wellbeing. C25K was developed by someone new to running who wanted to encourage 50+ adults to get off the couch! It encompasses three weekly runs with a day off in-between over a nine week period. NHS Choices provides more information here on how people can get started:

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/get-running-with-couch-to-5k.aspx

Green Gyms

If the idea of an outdoor ‘gym’ appeals, you can work off some calories and get healthy by clearing the countryside paths and green areas via the Green Gym scheme. Run by The Conservation Volunteers, they will get involved in many hands-on practical projects, working on physical tasks outdoors. Great for building strength and stamina and generally have a healthy and productive time. They can find out more here:

http://www.tcv.org.uk/greengym/find-green-gym

Do you encourage the people you support to do more exercise? What ways have you found useful? Let us know on our Facebook https://facebook.com/lavorocare or Tweet at us https://twitter.com/joblavoro .

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