There's so much more to exercise than weight loss

After so many months of yet another lockdown, many people are eagerly anticipating the reopening of gyms and swimming pools in the next couple of weeks.

 After reading that one sentence, I know I have already lost a lot of you, you’re just about to stop reading this blog. You’re about to press close and look at something else that relates to you.  You’re not interested in gyms or anything else that leisure centres offer.

Why? Well, you think that you’re not young enough, slim enough, fit enough, you don’t have the latest fitness fashion outfits, you have a health problem, you struggle to walk up the hill to your house from the shops and the last time you were mildly energetic was when you were forced to run around the school playing fields, why would you even want to consider going into a leisure centre? 

But, do you know what? You are exactly the right person to use these facilities, in fact, there is no criteria check as to who can come through the doors; everyone has a reason to be there.

From the person who wants to be get a bit fitter so that they can play with their grandchildren without needing to lay down for a week afterwards!

or those who have  a medical condition  and have been told by their GP that being active will help but they’re not sure what to do,

or, those who used to be fit but over the years they have let it slip,

or those who have anxiety or depression because we know from past experience that being physically active makes a huge improvement to our mental health

or those who are lonely and isolated because we see every day , new friendships being built

or those who have  a disability and being active is difficult

or those who feel that they are overweight and are embarrassed because we know how being active can boost self-esteem and confidence

or those who are elderly and need a bit of guidance and exercise sessions specifically for the older person

or those who play sports and need help to take their fitness to the next level

or those who want to build muscle and strength

or those who have had a baby and want help getting back to their pre-pregnancy weight

or those who find doing their daily tasks difficult because of low fitness levels

or those who have had COVID-19 and are still struggling weeks or months later

or those who have a high risk of developing chronic medical  conditions

The fact is, being physically active is the best thing anyone can do to improve their health, wellbeing and quality of life.

 

Fact!

Physical activity helps to prevent conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, osteoporosis (thinning of the bones) osteoarthritis, stroke, and some forms of cancer. Physical activity is medicine, we don’t want to spend our later years dependent on others or taking pills, physical activity is a preventative, it’s rehabilitation and in some instances, it’s a cure for so many medical conditions

Start young and your future self will thank you, but, it’s never too late to start doing something to enjoy the benefits.

Being active isn’t just about weight loss and building muscle, it’s so much more, it’s about our health. If this last year has taught us anything, it must be that we have to look after our health. We know that people who have underlying health problems are affected more severely than compared to those who are in good health and have a better fitness level. We also know that this virus isn’t going anywhere soon and so, we need to make sure that we are in the best of health to fight it.

Forget that picture you have in your head about who uses a leisure centre; it’s not all about lycra these days! I know that the perceived image of the fitness industry can make people feel intimidated    but think of a cross section of the community you live in; young, old, tall, small, somewhere in between, fit, not so fit, overweight, slim , thin, all ethnic groups, different genders, the latest fashion, T shirts and trackies, these are the people you will find in a leisure centre,

They are here to improve their fitness level, to improve their health, to have fun, to meet people, to learn a new sport, try a new class, to de-stress, to enjoy a new hobby, they are just like you.

After being locked down for what seems to be like forever, come down and see us, we want to meet you, we want to hear what your health means to you, and we look forward to helping you to feeling comfortable in our facility.

 Our health has never been as important as it is right now so what are you waiting for? Yes, you!

 

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