Exercise always seems to be that one thing many of us would like to give more time to yet we always seemed to struggle to fit it in.

Busy lives often means that the only spare time we have for exercise is a weekend, whether its going to the gym, out for a run or a home workout.

Guidelines suggest that adults should aim to do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week to maintain good health and there has also been debate about whether cramming all that exercise into a weekend is beneficial.

The good news is that ‘weekend warriors’ – who might only have a few spare hours each week to exercise can still achieve the benefits that come from regular exercise.

The key message is that doing some physical activity is better than doing nothing at all, exercise combined with a good diet is essential for good health.

We spoke to local GP Dr Abbie Brooks to get her top tips for getting more movement into your everyday life as well as her training for the 2023 London Marathon and how she rediscovered her enthusiasm for exercise.

The Covid pandemic and subsequent lockdowns really affected my approach to exercise, I went from running regularly, managing to get to the gym, eating well and feeling good to struggling to figure out how to work a routine into my day to day life.

Work continues to be crazy busy and the work/life balance is a struggle but for me I know if I move, I feel energised, it improves my sleep and helps me to feel less exhausted.

I am a doctor and so know the benefits of regular exercise but I also appreciate how hard it can be especially when we can be so exposed to what is perceived as perfect lifestyles on social media. I work long hours and have two kids, the struggle to fit exercise in to my weekly routine is real. 

For me, being able to get back to parkrun is when my enthusiasm perked up finally got some rhythm and mojo back. Exercising is a social thing for me, parkrun is always followed by a chat and a coffee. I slowly started to get on my spin bike more regularly and head out for an occasional run. I really started to enjoy doing some basic strength work – the benefits of this are huge!

Exercise should be fun and we should all move for enjoyment. Sometimes we feel pressured to enjoy a certain type of exercise or only do things we are good at. I used to go to classes at the gym just for the sake of it, not because I enjoyed it, but now I know the time I have to exercise is precious so choose the activities that bring me joy. 

Running is hard, I remember starting couch to 5k in January of 2017. I was felt unfit, a fraud and found running even two minutes so hard. I trusted the process and managed to run my first ever 5km at parkrun in the May of that year. Running because a therapy for me, I needed the headspace to process a bereavement but also give me time to myself away from work/parenting! I never expected I would be able to run a marathon six years later, but here we are.

It’s important to know why I exercise and what the benefit is. I like the feeling after accomplishing something; the glow after a run; I love to feel strong and full of energy; I want to be a role model for my kids and I want to be able to keep up with them! 

Take the small wins. Did you manage a 5-minute YouTube class? Walk the kids to school instead of hopping in the car? Win two games in a set? Whatever it might be, celebrate yourself.

I never ever thought I would have been able to train for a marathon, join local tennis leagues or lift heavy weights. Yet here we are. Goals help me to provide some structure, but they are guidelines not rules. Do not beat yourself up if you miss a workout or sleep through a parkrun alarm. There is always another opportunity to get moving, take the pressure off and enjoy the process.

Head back to the Let’s Get Talking blog.

Making sure you eat a healthy balanced diet isn’t always easy – particularly when you’re on a budget or trying to spend less, with the cost of living, you might be feeling the pinch more than ever before.

It’s not all bad, there are some easy ways in which you can save money and still eat well, a few small changes to your shopping and cooking can help make your money go further whilst being healthy.

Dig out your recipe books

We are not all born culinary experts. So its just as well that the BBC Good Food site has a range of brilliant recipes for every occasion – including a budget recipe collection

Plus, if you use social media, you can find loads of inspiration on Instagram and TikTok

Switch up your snacks

Making better decision when it comes to snacking can help you feel better and fuller for longer.

Nuts are a good source of protein, coconut can help regulate blood pressure during times of stress, bananas contain vitamin B6, which releases serotonin and helps regulate blood sugars. Dried fruit is also a good choice for a healthy sugar lift, plus they are full of fibre and iron.

And don’t forget the humble apple. It’s a hunger busting snack rich in fibre and antioxidants.

Cook larger portions

Cooking larger meals can save you time and money. Your leftovers can be used for lunch the next day, be frozen for later, or reused in stews and stir fries.

Having leftover for the next day is a great way to stop you from spending money on your lunch break or eating out in the evening.

Make a list and stick to it

This sounds like an obvious one but take time to plan your meals before you head to the shops. Think about each meal and the ingredients you need and make a list – it’s a good idea to plan meals with similar ingredients so you use up what you buy. By knowing what you need you can shop smarter and reduce waste.

Buy frozen

People often think that frozen food isn’t as nutritious, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Frozen fruits and vegetables can be more affordable than buying from the chilled aisle and it can help reduce waste.

Frozen veg is great for adding to curries, stir fries and stews, while frozen berries can liven your breakfast.

Do the maths

Just because something is on offer doesn’t always mean it is the best value, its always worth checking out the price per gram or litre.

Taking time to do the maths while you shop will let you know where the real savings are. Yes, it can take more time, but if you are on a budget or trying to spend less every penny counts.

Even gentle exercise can improve your health and wellbeing. You don’t have to pay huge sums of money for expensive memberships or equipment or torture yourself doing something you hate. Instead, why not think about trying to add more movement into your life to keep your mind and body happy and healthy.

Top tips

• The best exercise you can do is the one you enjoy and the one you can do regularly. Anyone can do something they dislike every day for a week, if you even last that long! This doesn’t compare to the benefits of doing something you look forward to doing once a week for the next 20 years.
• Physical activity doesn’t have to be structured and formal. It could be a walk around your town, dancing in the living room, stretching, or gardening.
• Choose something that feels good. Who doesn’t want an effective, joyful way to start their morning, decompress after work, spend time with others, or stretch their muscles?
• Aim to meet the recommendations. There are so many ways you might do this.
• Do it with others- with a friend, with family, or join a class. This can add to the enjoyment and keep you accountable.
• Or it could be an opportunity for some time to yourself.
• Learn a new skill, such as Pilates, climbing or golf.
• Reduce your sedentary time. Regardless of how active you are, reducing your time spent sitting still has additional health benefits.
• Snack on activity. Little and often can be easier than one longer session, such as 3 x 10-minute brisk walks rather than 1 x 30-minute walk.

Putting this into action

Having the knowledge and understanding is only part of the puzzle. We all know what we ought to be doing; that doesn’t mean we do it. Take some time to think about the following points so you have a clear plan of what you will do and how.

• What are your reasons to increase activity? More energy, more confidence, or better stress management? Reminding yourself of these will help motivate you. If you have more than one reason for doing it, it is easier to adapt if your circumstances change or your goal shifts.
• What might prevent you from achieving your goal and how you will overcome this. Anticipating problems before they arise puts us in a better position to deal with them.
• Start small and don’t try to change multiple things at once. Changing one thing a small amount is easy to do, immediately rewarding and quickly becomes a habit to build on.
• Set SMART goals

Specific

A specific goal is much more likely to be accomplished than a general one. To help you make your goal specific, think about Who, What, Where, When and Why

Measurable

A measurable goal lets you know if you are making progress. Are you walking faster or longer distances, are you lifting heavier weights, are you active more often or managing the stress of daily life better? When your goal is measurable you can manage your progress. Ask yourself ‘how much’ or ‘how many’?

Achievable

You need to know you will be able to achieve your goals in the given time. They should slightly challenge you but not to an extent that they demotivate you if you are unable to meet your target

Relevant

A relevant goal is one that is important to you. Think about your reasons for making a change.

Time-bound

A time-bound goal helps you to visualise how it will fit into your life. Think how frequently and for how long you will do the activity. E.g. you might start doing something for 20 minutes, twice a week.