#StayinStayActive

By Jimmy McGinn, partnership manager at LSSP.

After what seems like an age of being on lockdown, I’m sure the excitement of ‘extra’ holidays is slowly being replaced by boredom or even a little melancholy. If so, it is very easy to slip into sedentary behaviours – sitting in your pyjamas on social media or watching box sets, after movies, after box sets. To ensure you don’t slide into the lockdown blues, it is really important to think about and plan to keep your body and mind active.

Indeed, the ancient philosopher and scholar, Plato, said: “We should not exercise the body without the joint assistance of the mind; nor exercise the mind without the joint assistance of the body.”

Usually, this would be achieved at work or school, but there are still lots of things you can do at home to stay active:

• Do a home workout: This could be practising a drill from the sport you play or following an online exercise class or phone app.
• Challenge yourself to learn a new skill: This could be juggling or doing ‘keepy ups’ – there are lots of challenges on social media
• Housework – That’s right, housework. There are loads of household chores that will raise your heart rate:
  • Tidy up: Chores can vary in intensity and are also great for you well-being.
  • Wash the car – this can really raise the heart rate and can be great fun too, especially if everyone helps!
  • Polishing your shoes: This can be quite vigorous and I find it really meditative, plus you ever know when you’ll need them again.
• Gardening: This is fantastic, being outside can help relieve stress and support mental well-being. Brushing the yard / patio can really build a sweat.
• Have a dance to your favourite music: This can be as vigorous as you want and it really does lift the spirits.
• Use social media / online meeting apps to stay connected with your friends and family. Exercising with other people is great and also helps with the most important aspect –
• Have FUN

Ensuring physical activity is part of your daily routine can improve your mood, help regulate your sleep, improve your health and will keep energised throughout the day. At LSSP, we use the POWER analogy to help measure the intensity of physical activity:

• PULSE – is your Pulse raised
• OUT OF BREATH?
• WARM – is your face Warm
• ENERGISED – do you feel Energised?
• REGULARLY – do it Regularly – high intensity activity will give you all of them

Why don’t you keep an ‘activity index’ and see which activity meets the POWER test – 1 being light, 5 being vigorous!

Being active every day provides a foundation for a healthier and happier life.

LSSP has lots of ideas, challenges and links to help you and your family stay active. Why not follow them on Twitter and Instagram @Liverpool_SSP or visit www.LSSP.co.uk for more information.