You don't need to be 'gym crazy' or a top athlete to be succesful in fulfiling a healthy lifestyle. The following suggestions show you just how easy it is to fit activity and exercise into your daily routine.

Make activity a part of your daily life

Why not walk to collect your newspaper rather than have it delivered.  Check your local paper for alternative activity-promotion campaigns such as walking or cycling schemes.

Leisure centres often hold taster sessions where you can try different activities like Tai Chi, yoga or early bird swimming sessions with entry concessions for older people.

Gardening is an excellent way to maintain fitness levels - but not if you have a ride-on mower!

Dont run before you can walk

Running is not recommended as a new activity for older people as the impact can cause serious injuries to the knee and hip joints.  Fast walking is much safer - and may be more beneficial for someone wishing to burn fat.

Start slowly

Be patient.  Remember that any exercise or activity is better than a sedentary lifestyle.  Aim to build up to half an hour of activity on most days of the week.

Dont let yourself become dehydrated

Take a drink every 10  15 minutes whilst exercising and frequently throughout the day.

Make it fun

Choose activities you enjoy and vary them.

Time is one of the biggest barriers to becoming more physically active

Dont try to exercise when you are hungry or when your favourite TV programme is on.  If exercise competes with a more positive behavioural cue it will lose every time.  Instead, try to incorporate it into everyday life so it becomes a habit, one that you would miss if the habit were broken.

Keep a diary or a chart, which records your activity and also your feelings and emotions

Place this somewhere where you will see it every day.  Share your thoughts and experiences with someone whose opinion you value.

Use sticky labels, notes, posters or any other cues to remind you to be more physically active - but remember to put them somewhere you will see them every day.

Check with your doctor first if you have any particular health problems

02/06/2009