How do I combat a sedentary job
Our expert Lucy Wyndham-Read discusses the importance of being active, and suggests some simple exercises we can do anywhere to help us get into better shape as the holiday season approaches.
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Transcript
Presenter - Ok, Lucy Wyndham-Read is our guest, she's a personal trainer, we're talking health and fitness, trying to get you fitter if at all possible, and answering your questions that are coming in via email. Another one here from Martin Seymour, Martin says "I have a sedentary job", lots of driving basically and he arrives home exhausted. A lot of mental fatigue there I guess. "How can I break the mode, get motivated, and get into a regular exercise routine?"
Lucy - You see that's so interesting isn't it because if we're sedentary we're not really releasing any energy and it is such a vicious circle there because you know you come back, if you've had a sedentary job you get back indoors and the first thing, the last thing you want to do is to exercise, but if you do make yourself exercise that's the only way he's going to get more energy and he will get so many benefits out of it, so he needs to have a pair of trainers by the front door and the minute he gets in, puts the keys down, he needs to get changed into sports stuff and go out, and you know even if he just thinks I'm just going to go to the end of the road, I guarantee after a few steps he will feel so much better
Presenter - So much better
Lucy - It's convincing someone to do that, and you see the great thing is, if he goes out and he does a 20 minute run, he will come back, he will feel fantastic, he'll then likely to have lots of water because you kind of need to replenish your – you know keep yourself nice and hydrated, and he'll have more energy for the rest of the evening that I bet he has for ages. And that is the way to do it, but it's that tiny discipline, but the minute you start, once you're outside there you've got the fresh air and you know that's all he needs to do and he'll know once he's started he'll see that I'm right, and it is, it's just not giving in, you know –
Presenter - It's pushing yourself to do it isn't it?
Lucy - It is, you've got to make yourself, yes
Presenter - Do you know it's an age-old problem and I'm as guilty as the next person, especially in the winter months, not so bad this time of year, but you get home from a day's work, you know you say at work "I'm going to go to the gym tonight" – 7 o'clock, pop to the gym. You get home, it's pouring with rain outside, you don't want to go outside again. You sit down, slump in front of the television, you know have maybe a TV meal, glass of beer, glass of wine or whatever – it's an age-old problem – how do you break out of that mould?
Lucy - It is, just by kind of – you've just got to be strict, you've got to be really strict and it's like I do it, I will train my clients all day and then I will get back and you know I practice what I preach and it's sort of like I'm really tired, but I know the minute I get out there I am going to feel fantastic and I am now going to have loads more energy to deal with stuff, it's going to get rid of my stress, I'm going to feel happier, I'm going to sleep better, and it's on a positive spiral so I would definitely, definitely say put the trainers by the front door and just even if he promises me that he does it for a month that he will never look back, and that's how he will create more energy
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