How to get into exercise

Finding the motivation to get moving

Quick summary 📝

1️⃣ Benefits of exercise: exercise improves physical health, mental wellbeing, confidence, and can help make new friends

2️⃣ Getting started: choose an activity you enjoy, set achievable goals, create a habit, and think of exercise as a social opportunity

3️⃣ Cost-effective: exercise doesn't need to be expensive; free options are things like walking to school, dancing at home, taking the stairs over a lift

4️⃣ Safety first: consult parents and a doctor before starting an exercise regime, especially if you have underlying health conditions

5️⃣ Enjoyment matters: prioritise exercise that makes you happy and is done for the right reasons to help you stay motivated

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Finding the motivation to get moving can be really hard – sometimes all we want to do to feel good is sit on the sofa, phone in hand, snacks at the ready (which is totally fine!). But exercise is a really great way to improve not just our physical health but our mental health, too 💙 So, with this in mind, luna’s rounded up some ways to help you find your motivation to get moving.

Why is exercise good?

• New friends: sports are a great way to meet new people, if you choose something you’re interested in you’re sure to find lots of like-minded people 🤗
• Confidence: learning a new skill can give you a boost in confidence 💪
• Active life = healthy life: leading an active life can have countless positive effects on your physical health, in fact the NHS describe exercise as “the miracle cure we've all been waiting for” 👀
• Mental wellbeing: exercise has a positive impact on your mental wellbeing and might help you to manage stress better ❤️‍🩹

How to get into exercise?

• Find an exercise that you enjoy: it doesn't really matter what exercise you do, just that you do it. Swimming, running, cycling, judo, tennis, hula hooping, breakdancing…all of it counts 💯 It also doesn’t need to be intense – a 60 minute brisk walk a day works fine
• Set goals, but take it slow: it’s great to set yourself goals, or challenges, to keep you motivated – but don’t reach too far, too quickly 🙅 If you’ve set a big goal, like running a big race, you should break it down into smaller goals. You might start by walking around the block and work towards jogging home
• Make a habit of it: if you make a habit of working out, it’ll become much easier over time to stay motivated. One study has shown that 66 repetitions of a certain activity can help it become ‘automatic’ – that’s 3 times a week for 22 weeks.
• You don't need to spend money: exercise does not need to cost you 💸 You don’t need workout clothes or a gym membership – just motivation. Some free, everyday options could be taking the stairs, not a lift or escalator, walking to school, or putting your headphones in and learning a new dance 💃
• Think of exercise as socialising: you can meet new friends, share a passion for something new, have a good time, laugh and be active together! Plus, others will motivate you to keep going 👭

To be on the safe side, you should speak to your parents and your doctor before taking on a new exercise regime. Exercise is healthy and beneficial for most young people but some will need a review by a doctor before becoming more active. This is especially important if you have an underlying health condition.

Finally, you only need to do a certain exercise regime if it’s making you happy and it’s for the right reasons ✨ Don’t push yourself too hard, and remember to have fun out there!