We all know that being active is an important part of keeping a healthy weight – but it isn’t always easy to know where to start. It’s completely normal to feel self-conscious, nervous about trying something new, or worried about getting injured when you’re just starting out.
But the good news is there’s something to suit everyone! And getting active to help lose weight doesn’t have to mean going to the gym. In fact, starting small and building up slowly is an important part of a safe and healthy weight loss journey.
“[Activity] keeps my weight down, reduces aches and pains in my knees and cheers me up.”
– Community member, East Staffordshire
Boost your confidence and mental health
Managing your weight is a really important part of staying healthy and lowering your chance of getting heart disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis and other health conditions.
😄 Making you happier
It’s also really important for taking care of your mental health. Getting active regularly gives you more energy, improves your mood and helps you to feel better about yourself. It can also lower your risk of depression by up to 30%.
Moving more and building strength and stamina help you to feel good about yourself and what your body can do. Once you start getting active regularly – no matter how small the amount of movement – you’ll begin feeling stronger and able to do more.
Celebrating any level of improvement, whether that’s having a dance in your kitchen, trying a home workout, or going for a walk with a friend, will boost your confidence about what you can do. This all adds up to making you feel good about yourself and being more confident about doing day to day tasks.
Getting active is a natural stress-reliever which releases ‘feel good’ chemicals in the brain. Even small movements like chair exercises or going for a short walk can make a big difference. Feeling healthier can also help take pressure off your mind, improve your sleep and make stressful situations feel more manageable.
Having more energy and confidence can make it easier to join new groups or activities, meet people, or just enjoy everyday life more.
🏃🏽♀️ Activity plus 🍎 diet
Combining regular activity with a healthy diet makes it easier to lose weight than just making changes to what you eat.
😊 Making it easier to lose weight
Let’s say you’re aiming to lose 1 stone (about 6.5 kg) by eating more healthily. If you also get more active – like going for regular walks or trying a gentle home workout – you could lose up to 20% more weight.
That means you’d lose an extra 1.3 kg on top of the 6.5 kg – making a total of around 7.8 kg (just over 1 stone 3 pounds).
💛 Improving physical and mental health
So, moving more while eating well can help you lose weight more easily – and feel better in body and mind.
It’s ok to start small
Getting started is the scariest step – everyone feels the same way when they’re trying something for the first time, even if they don’t admit it!
Being active doesn’t have to mean hitting the gym or training for a 10km run! Even small movements count and can make a big difference to your health and mood. Here are a few things we recommend trying when you’re starting out:
Try out some gentle chair yoga or simple stretches. Lifting your hands above your head or reaching down to touch your toes counts! Check out these free videos you can watch online.
Trying a short home workout is a great way to get started and boost your confidence and strength. There are loads of free to use fitness channels available online, and you can pick the one that’s right for you. Try choosing one video and give it a go for just 5–10 minutes. Remember, a little goes a long way!
Even a short walk can make a difference. Not only does it get your body moving, but it gets you outside and gives you a change of scene. Try walking to the end of the road and back, or a gentle stroll in a green space. If a longer walk feels like too much, try breaking it up into 3 or 4 microwalks throughout the day.
Put on your favourite playlist and have a dance in the kitchen (or living room, or wherever you like). Simply swaying your arms or stepping on the spot counts. It will help you to feel more comfortable moving your body, get you active, and it might even make you smile!
Taking the stairs instead of the lift, stretching during TV and work breaks, getting into the garden or parking the car a little further from the shops are all simple ways of adding more activity into your routine.
Find something you enjoy
It’s allowed to be fun! Getting active doesn’t have to be a chore or just something you ‘should’ do. Pick something you think you’d enjoy. It will make it easier to keep doing it regularly and help you look forward to moving your body.
Here are some more activity ideas for people who want to lose weight:
- 🏊🏽♀️ Water aerobics or swimming – These activities are gentle on joints and take pressure off of your knees, hips, and ankles while giving you a full body workout.
- 🧘♀️Tai chi or gentle yoga – Gentle activities which help build flexibility and balance, plus you can try them at home.
- 🤝 Team up with a friend – Getting active with a friend or family member is a good way to help stick with it and make things more fun.
- 🥾Walking groups – There are plenty of free and friendly walking groups across Staffordshire and Stoke, with walks to suit all abilities and fitness levels. Explore your local walking groups.
Here’s a quick checklist of things you can do:
If you’re worried about hurting yourself or are concerned that getting more active might affect any health conditions you have, make an appointment to speak to your doctor. They’ll be able to reassure you and give you guidance on the types of activity which are best for you.
It’s important to start small and slowly increase your fitness and level of activity over time – especially if you have any problems with your heart. Don’t rush, take it step by step and stay consistent.
Good things take time. Building your confidence, strength and stamina is a process. Remember to be patient and that, as long as you get active regularly, even a little movement will start to make a difference.
If you’re trying a new activity and something hurts, then stop. There’s a difference between challenging yourself and hurting your body. Things to watch out for include chest pain, sharp pain, feeling dizzy or sick, or being so out of breath you can’t speak.
Remember, everyone has to start somewhere! It’s never too late to get started and you should be proud of yourself for taking this big step on your journey to being happier and healthier.
There’s something for everyone
We’re all unique and it’s not always easy to fit regular activity into your routine. You might have a tight budget, be short on time, or managing multiple health conditions. But there are simple, low cost ways to fit more activity into your schedule.