Olympic Legacy – How The Rio Olympics 2016 Could Be Good For Your Health

HealthLocal News

Hot on the heels of the Olympic Games Rio 2016, the event has inspired many of us to get out and join in sporting activities, such as running and cycling, and even if you’re not competing for Olympic glory, you should be properly prepared.
Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine, Spire Leeds Hospital consultant, Jonathan Power offers an insight into how being inspired by the Olympics can be good for your health…
The Olympic Games, dubbed “the greatest show on earth” arrived at Rio some 4 years after London hosted a fantastic festival of sport with many memorable moments. I was lucky enough to work at both the Olympic and Paralympic Games as a sports medicine doctor in the aquatics centre and the basketball arena. Watching athletes perform at the culmination of their 4 year journey from pool and court side was truly inspirational.
It’s possible that the exploits of the sports men and women could inspire you to become more physically active or take up a new sport. Becoming more physically active and increasing your fitness levels is an effective, proven method of improving quality of life, life expectancy and has been shown to be useful in the treatment of illnesses as diverse as cancer, diabetes as well as joint problems. National guidelines would suggest that adults should aim to be active every day, aiming to complete a weekly total of 150 minutes moderate intensity activity such as brisk walking or cycling, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise such as running or team sports. Minimising sedentary behaviour should also be a priority.
IF YOU’RE UP FOR THE CHALLENGE, WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS OF MAKING THE HABIT STICK?
Here are a few tips that are proven to help;
1) Attempt to change one behaviour at a time. It will be easier to track success and you will often find that there will be other knock on effects without you deliberately focusing on other areas of your life.
2) Think SMART! Goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. An example of a SMART goal for a novice runner would be to follow the excellent NHS Couch to 5k programme, (a nine-week running plan for beginners) ticking off training sessions over 9 weeks.
3) Ritualise your behaviour and set a trigger for physical activity. Pick something that you always do already (get changed after work, watch the news) and mentally pencil in the physical activity into your schedule.
4) Tell people! Post your goal publicly using social media or websites such as stikk where you can post your commitments to new habits to a selected group of friends. You can even set wagers on your success or failure. Keep people updated as you progress step by step towards your goal.
5) Take regular measurements. This allows you to bench mark yourself and your progress. Park run offer free, timed 5k runs all over the world which are a great way of tracking your improvements.
6) Prepare yourself with the correct kit and equipment. There is a huge, often intimidating industry around sports apparel with a dizzying choice available. As a starting point, a comfortable pair of well fitting, affordable running shoes will be enough to get you started.
7) Just do it! Often once the first domino falls, the others follow. The first step of just doing it can only be done by you!

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