• It won’t seem like hard work if you choose an exercise you enjoy and build up slowly and gradually, as you get better you will enjoy it even more and you won’t want to give it up.

• Just 20 minutes, two or three times a week can keep you feeling young and active. Once you start feeling the benefits. And your new activity becomes a habit, it will be easy to put aside the time.

• Exercise can be just the thing to help you relax. It relieves stress by taking your mid off your problems. After a session of vigorous exercise, you will feel warm, comfortable and relaxed. You will notice the relaxing effect of some kind of exercise even while you are doing them. Recent studies have shown that exercising can also lift depression. And you will probably find it helps you sleep better too.

• If it hurts then you are pushing yourself too hard. If you are in any pain, stop. If you feel uncomfortably out of breath slow down.

• It’s never too late. Anyone can get fitter. Whatever your age you can find a form of exercises that will suit you. And the less fit you are to start with, the sooner you will notice the benefits.

• It helps to protect your heart. When you exercise, your muscles need more oxygen than usual, so your heart has to beat faster to pump more oxygen carrying blood to them. But if you exercise regularly, you muscles get better at using oxygen and your heart pumps more blood with each beat, so it does not need to beat so fast. As you get fitter you can exercise harder without overtaxing you heart.

• Regular exercise has other benefits too. It can help to control high blood pressure. It can also help to stop your arteries furring up. And over the Years your risk of having a heart attack will be reduced.

• Even if you did not like sport at school, there are now so many different activities, you are sure to be able to find one you enjoy. Just try different ones until you find the one that’s right for you.

• Even if you do not like sport, there are now so many different activities, you are sure to be able to find one you enjoy. Just try different ones until you find the one that’s right for you.

• Clubs and classes are really good places to make friends and get them to go along with you.

• You will get Sprains and Strains if you push yourself too hard, too soon. Or if you do an occasional session of hard exercise and nothing in between. If you start off gently and build up slowly, your risks of sprains and strains are very low. And exercise build s up strong muscles, which protect you from injury. When muscles are not used. For example when a broken leg is put in plaster, the muscles waste away and the leg gets thin and weak. But if muscles are used more than usual, for example for exercising, they get stronger and more efficient.

• If you have kids it might take a bit more organizing but it does not have to stop you exercising. Some sports and leisure centers have child care facilities. The leisure and recreation Department of your local Authority or your local library should be able to tell you about facilities. Or you could get together with a group of other people with young children and share the baby sitting.