One step at a time

The Chinese philosopher Laozi knew a thing or two about facing a challenge. “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” he said. Wise words that most people embarking on a new health and fitness regime would do well to keep in mind.

Too often people are propelled into a quest for physical perfection that is governed by an immovable date and hampered by unrealistic expectations. You know the sort of thing - it’s a New Year, the beach beckons, that wedding is just two months away. Well, the truth is you’re most likely setting yourself up for failure.

Getting and staying fit needs to be viewed as a lifestyle choice, something for the long-term and never a quick fix. There are extremely good reasons why “diets” don’t work and why people fall off the treadmill (metaphorically, you understand) and are left demotivated and deflated. “A key part of our job as fitness professionals is to help people adopt an exercise programme from which they will see results, where they will want to be in it for the long-haul and, crucially, where they will have fun,” says Kyle Gurney, one of Sencio Community Leisure’s fitness managers.

“It is also about managing those expectations. One of the things we place great emphasis on is trying to understand a person’s lifestyle, the pressures on their time and how exercise can be fitted into a schedule. This is especially important when we work with someone who is new to exercise and who is out of shape, or who might be nervous about the gym.”

So how does someone like Kyle work with people new to fitness and what techniques are used to try and kick-start that change in lifestyle? “We want the people who come to us for advice to be with us for a long time and the onus is therefore on us to make sure we are realistic, that we give them the best advice possible and that we don’t just hand them an exercise programme and dump them but are checking-in on them regularly,” says Kyle.

“It is far better someone starts with small and achievable goals rather than rushing headlong in as people can tend to do and then end up disappointed. “We might, for instance, suggest two short sessions once a week to get started and then increase that over time as the individual adjusts to the programme and their body adapts to the exercise being undertaken. I’d much rather someone looks forward to their next gym visit because they feel they can and want to do more rather than dreading it.

“We also review a person’s workout regularly – usually every three to six weeks – because boredom can be the gym’s biggest demon. And we recognise that, for some, the gym just might not be right, so we might suggest a group exercise class, which many people enjoy because of the interaction with others and the social element.

The Sencio Wellness team has also built a reputation for helping people recovering from an accident, illness or injury, those training for a particular sport and, crucially, those – for whatever reason – who may be significantly out of shape and might just need that extra bit of support and encouragement to set them on the right road.

“We know there are people who love exercise, adore the gym and will be active at every available opportunity but we also recognise that for the average person it can be a struggle both getting started and sticking with it,” adds Kyle. “That’s why, if we do one thing well, it’s supporting, encouraging, nurturing and, yes, pushing people. Getting and staying fit isn’t easy and we’d be lying if we said it was. It does take discipline and commitment but there is nothing better than feeling fit, healthy and in-shape to help you get the best out of many aspects of your everyday life.”

And if all of that wasn’t enough to motivate you, then take a moment to consider that it is medically proven people who do regular physical activity have (*):

• up to a 35 per cent lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
• up to a 50 per cent lower risk of type 2 diabetes
• up to a 50 per cent lower risk of colon cancer
• up to a 20 per cent lower risk of breast cancer
• a 30 per cent lower risk of early death
• up to an 83 per cent lower risk of osteoarthritis
• up to a 68 per cent lower risk of hip fracture
• a 30 per cent lower risk of falls (among older adults)
• up to a 30 per cent lower risk of depression
• up to a 30 per cent lower risk of dementia
(*) source: NHS Choices

Getting Started
Here is our 10-point plan for getting started with your fitness regime:

1. Always consult your GP if you’ve not been used to exercise or haven’t exercised for a long time.

2. Speak to a fitness professional for the right advice for you and your lifestyle.

3. Be realistic about your goals.

4. Try to exercise with a friend if you possibly can (it’s easier to stay motivated and you won’t want to let each other down).

5. Start slowly and, with the advice of your instructor, steadily build up the frequency and intensity of your workouts.

6. Need motivation? Then try a group exercise class like Spinning, Yoga, Body Pump or Boxercise.

7. Ask your instructor to update your programme (at least every six weeks) or your body will know what to expect and you will become bored.

8. What you eat is equally as important. This is not about dieting, it’s about a balanced meal plan and, crucially, about burning off more calories than you consume.

9. Mix it up! We understand you might not always want to be in the gym, so walk regularly, take to the pool or have a go at a new sport.

10. And finally, give yourself treats…within reason, of course!

To find out more about gym membership, or to book in for a re-programme contact your nearest centre today by clicking here.

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