Getting Active and Staying Motivated

Getting active and how to stay motivated

Physical Activity

Physical activity is extremely important for all of us and is something we should try and work in to our routine. The benefits of physical activity are huge and are further reaching than simply weightloss and looking good. 

Being physically active decreases you risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke and heart attack among other things. People who exercise more also have lower rates of depression, stronger bones and are fitter. No pill in the world or surgery could achieve those kind of results. 

Recommendations

The recommended amount of physical activity for adults is at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week or 75 minutes of high intensity exercise. In addition to this,  2 muscle strengthening sessions should be performed per week. Reformer pilates is a great way to achieve this as you are strengthening your core and other major muscle groups.

A recent World Health Organisation report highlighted that only 31.3%of Irish adults are getting the recommended amount of exercise per week. The repercussions of this is being felt in our increasing number of people developing type 2 diabetes and other obesity related conditions. 

Tips

So how do we go about getting more exercise? If you break it down it’s approximately 30 minutes of exercise 5 days per week. Even the busiest person can spare 30 minutes a day. Here are some tips for achieving this: 

• Be prepared;  make sure your trainers are in your bag. That way if you have 30 minutes at lunchtime you can get your exercise done. 
• Book a class; if you have a concrete plan and you have made a booking you are much more likely to follow through with the activity. Evolve pilates have an easy online booking system to facilitate this and you can book here
• Grab a friend; arrange to do something with a pal, whether it’s taking a walk or going to the gym, you can motivate each other
• Find something you enjoy doing; whether it’s running, cycling or pilates there is an activity for everyone, it’s just about finding yours!!Involve the family; get out and about, teach your children good habits and explore your surroundings. That way you aren’t missing out on any quality family time
• Set realistic goals, both short and long term for yourself.
• Remember the golden rule; the only bad workout is the one you didn’t do! We all feel great after exercising, there’s a sense of achievement and not to mention the endorphins that are released. So get up, get out and get moving.

Physical activity is so important but it should also be enjoyed. Reformer pilates is a great workout and will help you on your way to increasing your cardiovascular exercise. Here at Evolve Pilates we offer diverse and varied classes so that every workout is different and you stay motivated and keep on enjoying it. If you want more information on all the benefits of reformer pilates click here