Ability not disability
Seven out of 10 people living with a disability want to be more active, and having an intellectual or physical disability isn’t a barrier in North West London.
Home to great sporting facilities, green spaces, and Paralympians, there’s something for everyone when it comes to raising your heartbeat in North West London.
Benefits of physical activity for risk of type 2 diabetes
There are many health benefits of being more active. According to the NHS, physical activity can reduce the risk of serious conditions like stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer by up to 50 per cent
Moving more can help you manage your glucose and improve insulin sensitivity.
Many people in North West London are finding local activities they enjoy that help them manage this. Some people are even coming off medication as a result of increasing their activity.
Plus the social element of meeting new people and being outdoors can be fun when you find an activity you like.
Use what you've got to move more
If you have a problem or pain using a part of your body, focus on exercises that use a different area of your body – it’s your ability that counts!
There are many exercises and movements that use just one part of your body. There are upper or lower body workouts or non-weight bearing activities like swimming that all help raise your heart rate.
Focus your three-step activity plan on what you can do
Follow these three steps to see the results:
- Sit less. Break up sitting periods every 30 minutes by standing up on transport, or get into a routine of getting up to walk or talk to others.
- Plan activities into your week, such as walking, swimming and biking. Try going to the gym, taking up a sport or joining an activity club. You could even plan working out at home.
- Use daily lifestyle activities to keep active, for example do more cooking, cleaning, gardening, walking, and playing with children or grandchildren, because every little step helps.
Setting goals as part of your fitness regime
What is your goal? If weight loss is your goal, North West London has specific face-to-face programmes, so ask your GP for more details. Plus there are NHS digital apps you can try for free.
Both these methods have already helped people in North West London to better manage their risk of type 2 diabetes, lose weight and improve blood glucose.
