You don’t have to be Paddy Barnes to get Olympic active

Medal-winning Olympian and Commonwealth champion Barnes said: “As someone who will be participating in the London games, I have a rigorous fitness regime. However, you don’t need to train like a boxer to keep fit.

“Being active is important for people of all ages, from toddlers to older people, as it can help you keep a healthy weight and feel better. It can also make you feel better by improving your mood, reducing anxiety and protecting against depression.

“I am delighted to be competing in this year’s Olympics and hope that the games being so close to home will inspire people to get active.”

Experts recommend that regular physical activity of at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week for adults and older people and 60 minutes every day for kids is really important for good health and can reduce the risk of many diseases including heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, and colon cancer. Adults and older people should try to be active daily and one way of achieving the recommended weekly activity levels is to be active for 30 minutes five days a week.

Colette Brolly, Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement manager, PHA, said: It’s easy for kids and adults to get into the habit of spending their spare time sitting down, watching TV and playing computer games, but making small changes to increase your activity can make a significant difference to your health. The Olympics and inspirational sportspeople like Paddy Barnes provide fantastic motivation to get active.

“Some activity is better than none and people who have not been very active should try to build up gradually to the recommended levels. Adults, including older people, do not need to take 30 minutes of activity all at once, as it can be taken in 10-minute bouts throughout the day.

“It’s never too late – start with small changes to your daily routine. For example, you could go for a walk in the park, get out in the garden, play sport, go for swim in the local leisure centre, walk to the shops, and try to reduce the amount of time you spend sitting down watching TV or playing computer games.”

For further information on getting active as a family visit www.getalifegetactive.com