1. HEALTH AND FITNESS
‘There are many reasons why we can find it hard to
start exercising - our everyday lives require less physical
activity than in our grandparents' day, we rely on cars to
get around and spend hours sitting in front of
computers.’
Dr Gill Jenkins

2. KEEPING FIT
Importance of exercise...
• Physical inactivity is a risk factor for coronary heart disease, which means if you don't
exercise you increase your risk of dying from a heart attack.
• However, exercise means a healthier heart because it reduces several cardiovascular
risks, including high blood pressure.
• Being physically active can increase good mental health and help you to manage
stress and anxiety.
• Regular exercise is important as you age as it keeps you strong and less dependent
on others and will also make you feel happier about your appearance. It has
beneficial effects on conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and
helps you maintain mobility.
• All exercise helps strengthen bones and muscles but exercises, such as running, is
especially good in protecting against osteoporosis (a condition in which the bones
become fragile from loss of tissue),which affects men as well as women.

3. Don’t be a statistic
Consider the following...
• In 2007, the Government predicted that if no action was taken, 60 per cent of men,
50 per cent of women and 25 per cent of children would be obese by 2050.
• Between 1993 and 2008, there has been a marked increase in the proportion of
people who were obese, reaching 24 per cent of men and 25 per cent of women in
2008.
• Even for youngsters the obesity rates were 17 per cent in 2008 among boys, and 15
per cent in 2008 among girls. By 2010, it's predicted 22 per cent of girls and 19 per
cent of boys between the ages of two and 15 will be obese, with girls under 11 at
particular risk.
• Obesity is responsible for 9,000 premature deaths a year in this country, and is a
major contributory factor to heart disease.
• Coronary heart disease (CHD) is still the leading cause of death in the UK, accounting
for about a fifth of all deaths, according to the Office for National Statistics.
• About a third of deaths caused by CHD are among people aged under 75.

4. There are things that are of particular
benefit as you get older:
• More energy - exercise makes you feel more energetic, while sitting around not
doing much makes you feel sluggish and unable to do anything
• Improved sleep - your body and mind feel as though they've done something and
are ready for rest at night
• Stable weight - regular exercise helps to keep you at a healthy weight
• Improved circulation and lower blood pressure
• Delayed ageing - keeping active strengthens your muscles, joints and bones as well
as helping with mobility and balance
• On top of the health benefits, exercise can be an excellent way to meet new people,
whether it's at a gym, a rambling or running club, or just people you meet while
walking the dog.

5. Finding the right exercise...
Walking...
• Walking is the simplest and cheapest of all exercises,
and making it a regular activity can increase your
fitness.
• Walking improves the condition of your heart and
lungs and works the muscles of the lower body. It's a
weight-bearing activity, so it may improve bone
density, yet it's also low impact, putting less stress on
the joints than some other forms of exercise.

6. If you do little activity at the moment, the
following tips can help kick-start your walking
programme...
• Walk, don't drive, to the local shop. If you have a lot to carry, take a
small rucksack.
• If you have children, walk them to and from school as briskly as you
all can manage.
• Get off the bus or train a stop or two early. This will give you some
extra daily exercise - and might even reduce your fare.
• Take a walk during your lunch hour. Half an hour's walk after a meal
will cut the amount of fat you store by using it to fuel your exercise.
• Once a week take a longer walk along a completely different route to
keep things interesting.

7. Running...
• Running is another cheap activity which can be done
anywhere, at any time and, most importantly, is very
effective.
• As a high-impact activity, running may maintain or
increase bone density. But it can also put more stress
on your joints than lower impact activities such as
walking and cycling, especially if you're overweight.

8. Other ways to stay motivated include:
• Have a clear aim, such as competing in a local fun run or
being able to run non-stop for an hour.
• Be realistic. Don't commit to run a marathon in three
months if you've never run before.
• Think of yourself as a runner and make running a habit,
just like cleaning your teeth. Think in terms of "when I go
for my run" rather than "if I go for a run".
• Keep a diary. Record your progress, the time of day,
weather, how you felt, where you went and so on.

9. Swimming...
• Swimming is a great way to tone up and trim down,
because to swim you need to move your body against
the resistance of the water.
• Swimming is also an effective form of fat-burning
exercise, because you can swim at your own pace, you
can keep swimming for long periods, and maintaining
your staying power is a vital goal in fat-burning exercise.
• The other big advantage is that water supports your
weight and takes the stress off your joints, so you can
put your body through a good workout without your
knees, hips or spine paying the price.

10. Cycling...
• A healthy heart- A major study of more than 10,000 people found
those who cycle at least 20 miles a week are half as likely to have
heart problems as those who don't cycle at all.
• Weight control. Some research suggests we should be burning up at
least 2,000 calories a week through exercise .Cycling burns about 300
calories an hour
• Make cycling a part of your routine. If you're worried about making
time for exercise, why not see if you can cycle to and from work,
which would incorporate exercise into your normal daily routine.
• Because the bicycle supports your body, cycling isn't necessarily a
weight-bearing exercise. This means it's good for people with certain
bone and joint problems because it puts very little pressure on them,
but it makes it less effective for protecting against osteoporosis.

11. Diet plan
Aim
• A good daily target is to keep fat intake below 100g for men and
75g for women.
Problems with fat
• There are nine calories in every gram of fat - more than twice as
many as in the equivalent amount of protein or carbohydrate. That
is why cutting down on high-fat foods is the first step to a healthier
diet.
• Saturated fat is also one of the leading factors in heart disease, the
number one cause of premature death in the UK. Saturated fat can
block the arteries that carry blood away from the heart, leading to
high blood pressure and heart attacks.

12. How to eat low fat...
• Use a low-fat spread instead of butter or margarine.
• Eat fewer meat pies, cheesy dishes and sausages, and choose lean meat
instead.
• Don't add oil or butter to vegetables and potatoes.
• Have a couple of meat-free days a week and experiment with vegetarian
dishes.
•
• Reduce the portion size of meat to about 75g and fill up on vegetables and
starchy foods, such as potatoes, rice, pasta, bread or couscous.
• Remove visible fat from meat, eat fish at least once a week, choose low-
fat milk and yoghurt, and keep cheese as an occasional treat.

13. Balanced Diet
8 tips for eating well...
• Base meals on starchy foods
• Eat lots of fruit and vegetables
• Eat more fish
• Cut down on saturated fat and sugar
• Try to eat less salt - no more than 6g a day
• Get active and try to be a healthy weight
• Drink plenty of water
• Don't skip breakfast