Halswell Domain

Halswell Domain
View from the Model Engineers' site in the Halswell Domain

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Keeping Healthy with Exercise in Halswell



Exercise is a bit of a challenge at this time of year, its a bit chilly for walks and the mud makes gardening less inviting!

There are lots of great options in the Halswell area to keep you motivated and fit no matter your age or ability. Remember exercise keeps you warm and energised!! It can improve your immune system helping you to fight those colds and flu and can help you get out and have fun on a gloomy night, where you might normally end up on the couch.  There are many aspects to ‘being fit’ Strength, flexibility, aerobic and aerobic fitness are all important, and we should try to do something everyday to contribute to each of these aspects. 

Firstly we often think of exercise as aerobic exercise this is the type of exercise that goes for a long time and you have enough oxygen to fuel your body. For example going for a walk and having a natter to your friends, cycling to work, some housework and gardening or going for a swim. It should be enough for you to lose your breath slightly but still be able to have a conversation.  This type of exercise works the heart , lungs and your blood system to pump oxygenated blood around your body. We should aim to achieve 30 mins of aerobic exercise a day and this can be broken up into smaller segments such as 5 min blocks.  A really great way to motivate yourself to do this type of exercise more would be to join the Halswell Walk and Talk (call 941- 8999) or try Tai Chi (Annette 03 322-1289)

Another important type of exercise is where we don’t have enough oxygen to fuel our body- this is the exercise that makes you puff!! Think of a Zumba class, aerobics class, going to a run or playing sport. This type of exercise burns lots calories for the amount of time that you spend doing it- an 80kg person would burn approx 246kcal in a moderate 30min aerobics class. We do have to be a bit careful with this type of exercise as it can put some strain on your body and initially cause fatigue (due to that burny lactic acid!!) so if you are pregnant or have other health conditions it pays to have a chat to your medical practitioner first. We have some great sports clubs in Halswell to get involved in to add this ingredient into your fitness soup!! There is also Zumba (Contact Michelle: 021 1086 755) and aerobics all on your doorstep waiting for you to try!

Strength is one of the most important forms of exercise we should do as without it we can lose the ability to do lots of normal everyday things. I have met many older (and surprisingly young!) people who find hanging out their washing and getting in and out of chairs a challenge due to lack of strength. The good news is that strength can be improved quickly and at any age.  Some housework activities and gardening uses strength, however we need to be doing these every week to ensure we use it and don’t lose it. The bonus of strength based exercises is that we gain muscle which in turn burns extra fat when we are sleeping!  We have so many options in Halswell from a gym around the corner with great trainers who can help you with your strength training, Pilates classes (call Rebecca on 027 690 8993) on your doorstep and  butts abs and thighs classes (Phone John on 348 1718 or 027-335-9488). There is no excuse!

And lastly but possibly most importantly is flexibility. This is to ensure that our joints have enough mobility to function the way they were designed. We should all stretch everyday to help manage aches and pains and prevent future injury. How about trying Yoga (Call Rebecca on 027 690 8996)? Its not as scary as you think I promise!

With all this huffing and puffing and moving, you will be keeping toastie warm, sleeping like a log, free from colds, bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready for a fantastic summer, when it comes.  Enjoy!

Check out the Sports and Physical Activities Page for more information about what you can do around Halswell. 

Thanks to Rebecca Harford for this article

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