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benefits of exercise

Movement and Mental Health

I hope you're enjoying the beautiful weather we've got at the moment!

Sitting in the sun is a great way to help your mental health - the boost to serotonin levels can make you feel so good!  

Another way to help your mental health is with exercise

I know for myself and for many of my classmates, mental wellbeing is one of the top reasons for exercising - alongside physical health.  That is why I was so pleased to see it as a theme for Mental Health Awareness week - which finishes today

Exerc…

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Heart health - the final part of the puzzle

So far we've looked at a few things that can help with heart health, for various reasons:

  • cardio exercise - strengthens the heart and lungs
  • strength exercise - lowers blood pressure
  • Pilates/yoga/mobility - reducing stiffness in the upper body, which will reduce arterial stiffness

The final part to consider is - relaxation, stress management and sleep

Insomnia at midlife can raise a woman's risk of a heart attack by 70%

Exercising can help with stress reduction, relaxation and sleep - j…

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Can squats help your heart?

Exercise is great for heart health, but is it only cardio-type workouts that make a difference?

Or can strength training help too?

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Healthy Hearts - and how to get them

February is Heart Month, so I've been focusing a little bit on cardiovascular exercise recently

Cardio exercise - exercise that makes your heart rate go up - is one of a few ways to improve your heart health.  Other factors you can look at:

  • regular exercise - not just cardio
  • healthy diet
  • healthy weight
  • quit smoking
  • limit alcohol intake
  • manage stress
  • prioritise sleep
  • move more often - not just exercise but throughout your day
  • stay hydrated

The thing I love about exercise is that it…

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Keeping going when the pain is no longer there

Our health is one of those weird things that we don't really think about until something isn't working properly or we are in pain

I think why I didn't enjoy pregnancy the first time round was because I expected things to work/feel as they always did, and that definitely wasn't true anymore!  It's also why peri-menopause is a challenge...

I certainly never considered my pelvic floor until after having my first baby/prolapse

And when I injured my back, the constant pain impacted everything I di…

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What Counts as Exercise?

Did you start your health goals this week? 

For me it was lovely to start easy with Aerobics on Wednesday and then just a few classes

I did have to start even easier than I thought I would have to though...

We had a fun New Years Day - going in to Manchester to go bowling

I was very happy to win our first game and get the highest score I've ever had!

We also did a bit of ping pong and karaoke

As we were leaving we spotted a punching ball test your strength so decided to have one last chal…

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I got trolled

I've been posting a lot on Facebook recently as I'm trying to raise my profile a bit

And it's obviously working as I'm reaching more people

But with that come people who aren't really a good fit for what I do

This meant that last week I got trolled on one of my videos 

It was just a simple video - showing hip circles as a way to ease out your back and hips after sitting for a while

So nothing massively fitness about it and nothing controversial

But this bloke said that if I lost some fat t…

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Everything you need to know about exercise in pregnancy

exercise in pregnancy blog

This should cover all the questions I'm normally asked about exercise and pregnancy, but if you have any questions I haven't covered please ask below!

For most women, exercising during pregnancy will be of great benefit.  You should always seek the advice of your healthcare provider first, especially if you have a higher risk pregnancy or an underlying health issue.  They will then advise you on the type of exercise that is suitable for you.

All the published guidelines and benefits are based …

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A pill to replace exercise

So we're a step closer to a pill that can replace exercise.
I know that there is an obesity crisis and things need to be done but this makes me sad, as if exercise is a thing to be avoided.

This news came out the same day as my car broke down.  I had to cancel a class and then arrange a lift to my evening classes - I was particularly stressed by the time I got to the church ready to teach!!   But a healthy dose of exercise later I felt much better.

Benefits of exercise

From those three classes …

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