We all know that exercise is good for us, but when it comes down to getting a sweat on it’s all too easy to find many reasons not to.

The recommended amount of moderate intensity exercise per week for adults (as an absolute minimum) is half an hour, five times a week. What classes as moderate intensity you ask, any activity that gets you warm to just breaking a sweat and a little out of breath, so that you’re just able to hold a conversation.

Can you say, hand on heart, that you get your weekly quota of being active? If not it’s time to start!   Being active is a habit, and like all habits – good and bad – it’s one that can be developed. In time it can, and should, become something integral to your daily life, something that you can’t live without.

The key is to find an activity that you enjoy and that hopefully you’ll grow to love. You may not enjoy it to begin with, but give it a fighting chance, make sure you stick with it for a month or two. Remember that most new things are difficult when we start them, and perhaps not so enjoyable, but once you start to feel the benefits (of which there are many) and you start to improve, you will undoubtedly start to enjoy your chosen activity more.

Modern life has encouraged us to be sedentary, to be lazy often using our downtime sat in front of the television or eating. Yet our bodies have been beautiful designed to be active, to move and to be challenged. They respond well, as muscular and cardiovascular improvements after only a short period of regular activity show.

The post-exercise release of endorphins (the happy hormones that make you feel amazing) can be seen as self-congratulatory system, leaving you feeling invigorated and designed to make you want to do more.   

The benefits of being active are in numerous; you’ll feel energised; it can help with weight loss or help you to maintain a healthy weight; it can help to improve your sleep; it will keep you looking and feeling younger; it will lower blood pressure and improve circulation; exercise boosts the immune system; it reduces the risk of many health issues including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, obesity, osteoporosis and cancer.

Mentally exercise makes you happy – it makes you feel good about yourself and can improve your mood, helping also to reduce stress and anxiety. And it can work wonders for your social life – get involved in group activities and make new friends. With all these benefits it’s a wonder why we aren’t all more active! 

When it comes to being active every little counts and change is good. Make small changes, such as going for a long walk either before or after that huge lunch, or make big changes like trying your hand at a new sport or get yourself a fixed goal, enter a race and start training for it. Ibiza has a perfect climate for many outdoor pursuits and there’s plenty of activities to choose from – learn to rock climb; explore Ibiza’s costal coves from the sea by kayak; marvel at the beauty of the campo on a cross country bike ride; learn to salsa dance; take up Nordic walking; swim in the sea or sail, wind or kite surf on it; find your inner calm with yoga, tai chi or chi gong or release your aggression in a kick boxing class.

If you’re not a fan of the outdoors there are many well equipped gyms across Ibiza and if you need some motivation and inspiration to get you off on the right track get yourself a personal trainer.   

Time, or rather perceived lack of it, is the reason most people give for lack of activity – but what can be more important than investing in your future health, wellbeing and happiness?

Being active now can save you from suffering many health problems as you get older. Start thinking about what you’d like to do, and how and why you should get active rather than why you can’t and make time in your daily schedule so that you can, you won’t regret it.

As the old saying goes it’s the things we don’t do that we often end up regretting. So set yourself a new challenge, get active and do something you’ve never done before – you might just surprise yourself.

Remember – you’re never too old to learn and it’s never too late to start – get active! •     

Ruth Osborn is a UK qualified advanced fitness and swim instructor. Certified in nutrition and weight management with a keen interest in natural, vegetarian and vegan nutrition. A competitive swimmer since childhood and keen canoeist, she took up running five years ago and re-learnt how to ride a bike four years ago (the challenge of the Ibiza Quadrathlon looms).

For further information about personal training or private swim tuition see:     

GOVERN DE LES ILLES BALEARS   
Web: www.illesbalears.es/esp/islasbaleares/home.jsp   
For listings of various sports and activities in Ibiza, including some great cycle routes, see the sports section of the official Balearic islands website.       

IBIZA MUNDO ACTIVO  
Tel.: 676 075 704   
Email: info@ibizamundoactivo.com                                                   
Web: http://ibizamundoactivo.blogspot.com   
Organise a range of activities (for people of all ability levels) including walking/hiking, kayaking, Nordic walking and abseiling.