Keep it interesting

The spice of life is variety, and it’s a fact that you need to different kinds of exercise if you’re interested in longevity. Stretching increases flexibility, weights make you stronger, cardio protects the heart. You do need to do it all… but that doesn’t have to be a drag. I find strength training unutterably dull, so tend to rotate between 30-minute living room sessions and strength classes at my local gym (which has lovely soap, good playlists and group vibes).

I try to do a yoga class every now and then, using ClassPass to visit different studios. And if I’m struggling to find running motivation, I book myself into a treadmill class that offers a totally different experience (ie dark room, bright lights, fast paces – a world away from my usual early morning slog down the canal).

Set micro goals

Sometimes it’s easier to work towards a bunch of smaller goals in the pursuit of a large one. My own running career really took off after training for a marathon, but I actually found joy in running during that process when I realised that I could run most or all of the way home from the office. Simply being able to run continuously for an hour – rather than being stuck on the Tube – transformed the way I saw my body.

I always tell friends to aim big (sign up to that race!) but have smaller goals along the way. Celebrate when you’ve managed to run a 5K. Congratulate yourself for meeting our weekly strength training target. Big yourself up for turning up to Parkrun.

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