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For many of us, the thought of heading to the gym after a long day at work just doesn't inspire us. How many of us have joined gym memberships, paid our joining fee, set up monthly direct debits, done our initial training session, gone for a few more times... and then gone perhaps once a month, then not at all?
Choose exercise benefits which mean something to you
Focus on the benefits you'll get from taking that exercise and being more active which are important to you, not the health profession. Everyone will find a benefit which is more important to them than other benefits - yours could be decreasing your risk of getting heart disease or maybe you want to change your body image, or the way you feel about yourself. Identify the benefits you want - and you'll be more motivated to be more active. Look for exercise benefits which reallymean something to you - and you'll soon find that other less important benefits follow as well - a bit like a domino effect
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Health benefits from exercise
- Less likelihood of heart disease
- More energy
- Helps with weight control, so lessens likelihood of heart problems, cancers and diabetes
- Lowers blood pressure
- Better sleeping patterns
- Stronger bones and muscles so less osteoporosis
- Healthier lung capacity
- Healthier arteries
- More defences against illness
- Less stress – exercise helps the flow of brain chemicals such as serotine
- Burn off those calories
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Mental benefits of exercise
- Improves your mood
- Sharpens your mind & memory
- Helps focus & concentration
- Greater self-belief - you never thought you'd do that five mile walk/theLondon marathon and you have
- More confidence because you feel better about yourself
- You feel good inside
- Better able to handle stress
- Helpful for treating depression and anxiety - a good brisk walk can really help change the way you feel about life
- The more you do, the more you want to do.
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Lifestyle benefits from exercise
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More energy and stamina
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Burns off calories & helps control your weight so you can spend less time thinking about dieting, food, weight control...
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More energy & get up & go to fulfil your wants & dreams
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More energy to do something else in the evenings after work
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You feel happier about yourself & life
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Faster to get going in the morning
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Better long term health – leaving you to enjoy more of life
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You feel more in control of life
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Other potential benefits
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New group of friends - the good thing about getting active with animals is that you have an immediate talking point & love for them in common with other people
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New experiences
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Different places to go
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Could be more cost-effective than the activities you usually go for
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Opportunity to give back and feel-good
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Having fun with animals
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Caring and nurturing opportunities
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A chance to learn something new about yourself & how much you really can do
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Could it lead to a new career?
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ALWAYS check with your GP before beginning ANY new exercise regime, especially if you haven't exercised for a long time or if you have a medical condition, or you're pregnant. |
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