You will probably already know that you should do regular exercise. After all, physical activity can dramatically improve your health and reduce the risk of developing many serious diseases. And let’s be honest – it can help you look better, too. In fact, many people use exercise as a key weight loss/management tool. And we’re lucky that there are a whole host of gyms in Ipswich to choose from. However, the gym may not be your thing. So we’ve come up with a variety of healthy local options, including the gym, which you’ll discover are literally on your doorstep.
Squats and cardio can certainly help you look pretty good, so there are no surprises there. But did you know that exercise can improve your mental well-being, too? Physical activity, such as a quick swim in a local Ipswich swimming pool, causes chemical changes in the brain, which in turn helps to positively change your mood. Exercise can boost your self-esteem (when you look good, you tend to feel good, too). It can even ease anxiety, reduce depression and improve concentration.
Physical activity can also improve your sleep quality – a vital (and often overlooked!) element of health and well-being. In fact, if you’re physically tired, you tend to fall asleep faster and sleep much deeper. In turn, this helps to boost your energy levels, your mood, brain function and physical health.
Everybody – young and old alike – can benefit from staying active, so try to introduce some fitness to your whole family. We know it’s not easy to include regular exercise in today’s busy lifestyles, but the benefits make it so worthwhile. An added bonus? Children who participate in sports from a young age are far more likely to stay active as they get older. So get them exercising from the get-go then you can lay down healthy foundations for the rest of their lives.
Many people equate exercise with going to the gym. Lifting weights and participating in group classes is indeed a great way to keep active. For example, David Lloyd offers a huge range of fitness classes. If you’re a family with different interests and you’re local too, joining an Ipswich sports club could be a sound investment. In this kind of venue, everyone gets to participate in the activity they enjoy – and try new things too. Most offer a crèche service – an excellent service for busy parents with young children.
If you’re after a more specialist approach, look for your local wellbeing centre. If you live locally, check out your Quay Place Heritage and Wellbeing Centre. In fact, we rely on the Pilates classes there to keep us flexible, aligned and relaxed. Low-impact classes like these are a great way to improve core strength and practise mindfulness at the same time.
If joining a local club or gym doesn’t appeal, there are plenty of other options available. Walking is a wonderful way to get more active and improve both your mental and physical health. Best of all, it’s simple, free and easy!
If you’re looking for somewhere to exercise in Ipswich, look no further than Christchurch Park. It’s one of our favourite al fresco spaces for a brisk, invigorating stroll. The facilities include tennis courts, a bowling green and a children’s play area. So it’s an ideal place for all the family to move a little more while enjoying some fresh air.
Physical activity can take all sorts of different forms. Dancing is a whole-body workout so you can feel fit while having fun. If you’ve always wanted to waltz like a pro on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, check out your local dance school. Ipswich School of Dancing offers lessons/classes for children and adults of all ages and stages, from beginners to advanced.
If Latin and ballroom don’t float your boat, there are plenty of other dance styles to try, including Ceroc, ballet, tap and salsa. Most dance forms offer a great cardio workout and have mood and mind benefits, too. If you’re not quite ready for ballroom shoes or a tutu, why not test the waters with Zumba?
If you’re looking for an alternative Ipswich exercise option, head to an Ipswich swimming pool. Swimming offers so many physical benefits, including fitness, weight loss, strength and stamina. But it results in huge health and well-being benefits too.
A report commissioned by Swim England last year found evidence that swimmers live longer and stay fitter (physically and mentally). In particular, the report highlighted the benefits of swimming and aquatic activities for people with mental health concerns.
Keen to add a little aquatic action to your Ipswich fitness programme? Why not pay a visit to Crown Pools? The facility includes a leisure pool, competition pool, wave machine and aqua classes. And it offers swimming lessons that cater for children from six months through to advanced adults.
If you think swimming sounds too solitary, there are plenty of team sports to choose from. If you’re looking to improve your fitness in Ipswich, why not explore one of our local rugby clubs or the football academy? Ipswich RFC has been running in tries since 1870. In addition to developing physical fitness, team games like rugby give participants a valuable sense of belonging and purpose. If you’ve always fancied following in the footsteps of a Premier League footballer, check out Ipswich Town FC Academy. Famous alumni include Kieron Dyer and Darren Bent, although we can’t guarantee you’ll be selected for England too!
PLEASE NOTE: This competition has now ended.
Need some inspiration to exercise? We have just the thing. WIN a Fitbit Inspire HR fitness tracker. So you can live a healthier lifestyle by motivating yourself to hit your weight and fitness goals. By connecting your mobile, you can also keep up to date with any texts, calendar events or calls – directly from your wrist.
To be in with a chance of winning, simply FOLLOW the Lighthouse Dental Practice Twitter account (@LighthouseDent2) and RETWEET a competition post. The competition opens on Thursday, 18th April. The winner will be chosen at random after the closing date [Friday, 17th May 2019] and will be notified accordingly. Good luck!
Your information is being provided to Lighthouse Dental Practice, not Twitter or Fitbit.
You must be aged 18 or over to enter this competition.
Entrants must live in Suffolk in the UK.
If you are not a resident of Suffolk (in the UK), you will be disqualified.
The closing date for all entries is midnight, 17th May 2019.
We will select a winner at random on Monday, 20th May 2019. We will then notify the winner with a direct message.
Twitter, Facebook and Fitbit are not associated with and in no way sponsor, endorse or administer this promotion.
This is a non-transferable prize, and no cash alternative will be given.
The winner has 48 hours to respond to the notification that they’ve won. If we do not hear back from you, we reserve the right to choose another winner.
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If you would like to speak to a member of our friendly team about any of the issues in this article, please visit our contact page or call us on 01473 257379.