People can boost their fitness without going to the gym (stock photo) (Image: Getty)
People could shed pounds and boost their health without joining a gym by following a little-known free NHS plan. As fitness enthusiasts might know, the NHS website offers lots of advice for people looking to lead a healthy life, including nutrition tips and recipe ideas.
However, not everyone will know that the NHS fitness studio offers a series of free workout videos online. With a range of workouts available, people using the studio can choose from aerobic, strength and resistance, and pilates and yoga videos.
There are over twenty instructor-led videos created by fitness experts, and the workouts range from ten to forty-five minutes, meaning people can choose to exercise from home without forking out for a gym membership.
Designed by InstructorLive, each video lists the workout’s intensity and gives an overview of what’s involved. The video offers a visual demonstration, and an audio description is available.
Working out consistently can help people lose weight and tone up. The NHS states: « There are exercises to tone your abs, raise your heart rate, and tone your upper arms.
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« You will also find workouts suitable for new mums, such as postnatal yoga, or health problems, such as pilates for back pain. Plus, there’s the Wake up workout, Vinyasa flow yoga, and Belly dancing for beginners to get you moving. »
Exercise can help people lead healthier, happier lives and reduce the risk of serious medical conditions, especially if paired with a balanced diet.
The NHS advises: « Regular exercise has been proven to help reduce the risk of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke. Research shows that physical activity can also boost self-esteem, energy, mood and sleep quality. »
As such, the NHS shares physical activity guidelines for people of all ages. For adults aged 19 to 64, it is recommended to:
- Do some type of physical activity every day
- Do strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups at least two days a week
- Do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week
- Reduce time spent sitting down and break up long periods of inactivity with movement
The NHS plan is free online for anyone to use (stock photo) (Image: Getty)
Healthy eating is important for anyone trying to lose weight. The NHS explains: « You’re likely to put on weight if you eat and drink more calories than you use. This is because your body stores the extra energy as fat. »
The number of calories you need each day may be different based on your age, weight, height, and exercise schedule. Typically, an average man needs 2,500kcal a day and an average woman needs 2,000kcal a day.
The NHS says the average person should aim to reduce their daily calorie intake by about 600kcal if they are trying to lose weight, so 1,900kcal for men and 1,400kcal for women.
Always speak to your GP about any health concerns, or if you have not exercised for some time, the NHS advises.
