The Olympics have ended which brings a big gap in TV viewing for most people over the next week or so! Most people have been addicted to it, and some more obscure sports have found plenty of new-found respect from the general public. If it encourages more people to exercise, then this will be the true lasting legacy for me.
The problem comes from where to start for most people.
Most people don’t automatically run down to their local athletics track, and suddenly ask to become the next Mo Farah, unless they are usually 11-15 years of old and already a pretty good runner!
Many people feel that most athletic events are beyond them, especially when they may be 40-60 years of age, and perhaps they haven’t exercised since school!!! This is part of the important generation to get exercising again, the generation that may have totally given up on themselves, and without any major action now will become more prone to serious disease and ill health.
This is why starting an exercise programme should be done with caution and safety as the number one concern.
If one goes at it like a bull at a gate, then injury will surely follow. Most people will realise that they can’t do what they did when they were 16, but some don’t realise this and go at it so hard that they get injured, and then their ego gets so crushed that they never try and exercise every again. This is a sad situation but so true of many people i see.
If you listen to good solid advice, and do indeed start off slow with a good plan, then you are HIGHLY LIKELY to succeed if you give yourself enough time and set some short term goals that are attainable. 1-2 pounds a week would be realistic, instead of the 5-6 pounds a week that faddy diets often promise. Also, don’t make the scale your number one indicator, this is setting yourself up for failure.
A plan that is sustainable that develops all the time is what you need and we will talk about this the rest of the week!!!
