Be Active

Why being active is important

Exercising and being active is important for your physical and mental health. Experts describe it as the “wonder drug” as it lowers anxiety and stress, improves your mood and increases fitness and strength.

Generally people need at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity at least 5 days a week. It is also important to break up periods of not moving, such as sitting at a desk, by moving around every hour or so.

As a rule of thumb:

  • if you are doing activity of moderate intensity, you will be able to talk but not sing
  • if you are doing activity of vigorous intensity, you will need to pause and take a breath every few words

 

Getting started

We all have busy lives and competing priorities, and it can be hard to find the time and the motivation to exercise. Here are some tips to get you going.

  • the key to getting active and staying active is to find something that you enjoy. Not everyone enjoys high intensity or vigorous workouts, while others prefer exercising alone rather than in teams. Some people exercise by doing dance classes, while some it’s by swimming in the sea. There is a huge number of options available, and it’s good to try out a few and see what suits you best. Remember, any sort of movement is good for you. It all counts!
  • start small. If you are starting to get more active, you will need to take things one step at a time. Start with any activity that raises your heart rate, makes you breathe faster and feel warmer. This could be a brisk walk, riding a bike, dancing or exercising at home.
  • make a plan. Putting the days that you will exercise in a planner, calendar or diary will make you more likely to do it. Marking a workout in your planner as 'done' will also be a great boost!
  • have a goal. Working towards a goal is a great way to help get you motivated. This could be planning to take part in a 5 km run or aiming to finish an online workout.
  • build exercise into your day. Remember, all movement counts. Taking the stairs instead of the lift and walking or cycling to work instead of taking the bus all count towards your daily activity goals. Spunout have some great tips on how to fit exercise into your day.
  • mix it up! Its easy to get bored of doing the same exercise over and over, but mixing up the exercises you do can help keep you on track. Spunout has some great suggestions for different options to try.
  • partner up. Getting a friend or family member involved will help keep you motivated.
  • don’t overdo it. Take things slowly or you may get disheartened. Remember that when starting a new activity routine, it can take your body a little time to adapt. A few aches and pains can be normal, but check in with a chartered physiotherapist if pain persists. Go to askthephysio.ie for advice and to find a physio in your area.

 

Getting active for free

Being active does not have to mean paying for expensive gym memberships. There are many ways to be active that don’t cost the earth.

  • no matter how fit or busy you are, walking is a great exercise. The most important thing is to aim for a pace that slightly raises your heartrate and makes you breathe a little faster and feel a little warmer. Once you can still talk, you're doing well! Find out more about walking from Get Ireland Walking
  • more and more people are cycling every day, either as part of their commute to work or school or as exercise. Cycling Ireland has lots of information for cyclists of all ages and abilities. A good place to start is Bike for Life, where there's a 'sofa to saddle' programme which gives people the skills and knowledge to enjoy cycling and cycle safely. Also check if your workplace has a Cycle to Work scheme
  • if you had always wanted to start running, there are lots of Couch to 5 KM programmes online. You can also check out your Local Sports Partnership
  • Parkruns are free weekly 5 KM events. You can walk, run or jog the course. It’s up to you. These are held on Saturday mornings. For more information or to find a parkrun closest to you go to parkrun.ie
  • Youtube has a vast amount of free instructional videos on all types of exercise from gentle yoga to more strenuous HIIT classes, or use the HSE free home exercise videos . You can also find home exercise videos for those living with a chronic condition
  • many parks have installed exercise equipment which are free for the public to use. Check out your local park to see what’s there

 

Resources

Spunout has more information on affordable exercise and tips on ways to get active without a gym membership.

Find more tips and information about managing your weight at gov.ie/healthyireland