It’s easy to find excuses to remain sedentary and gradually banish physical activity from your routine. For some it’s work overload, for others it’s the daily grind, and sometimes it’s just plain laziness. Whatever the cause of this lack of exercise, no one can deny the health benefits of sport. As a result, many people make half-hearted attempts to (re)start physical activity, but give up after a while. Here are ten tips on how to make sport a lifelong activity without a great deal of effort.
1. Do a health check
Physical activity necessarily contributes to the body’s well-being. But sometimes, for the proper functioning of a particular organ or body part, one or more activities are recommended. To find out what they are, you have to go through the balance sheet. In principle, the health check-up is an annual operation. A visit to the doctor will give you the best possible advice on which physical activities to (re)start with.
2. Choose activities you enjoy
Some sports are easier for us to play than others. In addition to specialist advice, there are individual preferences. For some, it’s yoga, for others swimming, running, gymnastics… Whatever your preference, unless your doctor advises otherwise, don’t hesitate to practice it frequently. When you enjoy the activity, you feel less of the effort involved. Don’t hesitate to liven up the session with music, for example, if it helps you keep your energy up.
3. Plan your exercise sessions
To feel the benefits of physical activity, it’s essential to be regular and consistent in your efforts. Very often, the excuse given by those who give up sport is lack of time. But sometimes it’s just bad planning. If you’re determined to (re)take up sport for the long term, it’s important to frame your sessions in a rigorous timetable and stick to it.
4. Don’t neglect warm-ups
In everything, it’s important to listen to your body and know your limits. Even if you’re highly motivated at first, you mustn’t forget the basics. As the saying goes, “he who wishes to go far, spares his mount”. Very often, the first exercise sessions after a period of inactivity are accompanied by muscular pain and other discomforts. You can reduce or even avoid them by warming up. Whether before or after sporting activity, don’t neglect stretching for 5 to 10 minutes. Whatever your physical activity, stretching sessions should be able to work the whole body.
5. Keep properly hydrated
Physical activity goes hand in hand with perspiration. It’s also easy to become dehydrated during exercise. To avoid the almost unbearable sensation of thirst, take your water bottle with you during every sports session. What’s more, water provides the body with the minerals it needs to function properly. Drink before, during and after physical activity.
6. Find your rhythm
Most of the time, when we decide to (re)take up sport, it’s to lose those extra kilos or get back into shape. To achieve this, we are inclined to perform the most difficult exercises at a frenetic pace. As a result, you get tired very quickly and give up easily after a few days. We recommend that you choose regularity over intensity. It’s better to be able to do 30 minutes of sport every day for several years than three hours a day for a month. Every body reacts differently. To (re)start, you can choose short, effective sessions and, over time, assess your abilities to find the pace that suits you.
7. Eat a healthy, balanced diet
Sport does not always guarantee good health. This must be accompanied by a healthy lifestyle. There’s no point in exercising and then snacking on everything and anything. Would you like to experience the benefits of physical activity? Combine this with a healthy, balanced diet. Don’t skip meals. Make sure your plate is balanced. For this, you can consult a nutritionist who will be able to tell you what you need. And don’t ignore the famous advice to ” eat at least five fruits and vegetables a day “.
8. Practice with others
Many physical exercises can be done alone. But that doesn’t mean you can’t practice them at the same times as others. Sometimes we draw our motivation from others. If you’re too lazy to exercise on your own, consider joining a gym to share sessions with people who probably have the same goals as you. Or exercise as a couple, with family or friends. Exercising in a group makes physical activity more fun and a lot less burdensome.
9. Setting goals
Why did you choose to (re)take up sport? To lose weight? To adopt a healthier lifestyle? Whatever your motivation, keep it in mind as you practice. Better still, set yourself daily, weekly and monthly targets. Be careful, however, to set realistic goals so that you can achieve them. Pursuing a particular goal increases your willpower tenfold and keeps you moving forward.
10. Stay positive
Just because you haven’t achieved your goals doesn’t mean you should give up after the first week. In sport, as in many other areas of life, it’s important to always be positive. Bear in mind that after a long period of sedentary life, not everything will happen overnight. When discouragement and negative thoughts overwhelm you, replace them with the goals you’ve set for yourself. Take the time to appreciate yourself, bearing in mind what remains to be done.
Getting back into sport isn’t easy. The more you indulge in a sedentary lifestyle, the harder it is to get back into good habits. So stop making excuses and start exercising again. Your health and well-being are at stake.