Staying active – staff tips

Staying Active

staff share their active hobbies and tips for staying motivated

As the nights draw in and the weather takes a gloomier turn, it can take an extra effort to lace up those trainers or stop by the gym knowing there’s a warm home and comfort food to return to. Winter can often mean our fitness goals take a hit, so we spoke to colleagues to hear what their tips and tricks are to stay motivated…

Julie Smith, LTHT Volunteer

“Although exercising is not one of my favourite pastimes I think if you make it part of your weekly routine and book ahead so you can’t chicken out, then it just becomes something you do. My usual routine is gym three times a week for about an hour. Tuesdays I swim before volunteering, which is also brilliant exercise as it involves walking around every wing of St James’s delivering newspapers to wards. We look after our son’s dog at the end of the week and she likes a good couple of hours’ walk on Fridays and Saturdays. I finish the week off on a Sunday by getting up early and doing a five-mile run. My reward at the end of this is a full cooked English breakfast.”

Lydia Kolb, Specialist Audiologist

“I like to go hiking with my partner across Leeds and the Calder Valley as well as the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales. I love the outdoors and walking gets my heart pumping without it feeling like ‘hard exercise’. I have problems with my joints so certain exercise can be challenging, but I like the thought that my muscles are getting stronger the more I walk and move. Being amongst nature, even in the depths of winter, feels fresh and new, and having expended some pentup energy in the outdoors I always come home feeling renewed.”

Building the Leeds Way programme director Mike Bacon and Project Managers Alec Musson and Jonny Sylvester

“Lockdown meant eating more and moving less initially. A number of our Building the Leeds Way team therefore decided to get active using the BBC’s ’Couch to 5K’ app. The app is brilliant and contains several celebs cheering you on, telling you when to run and when to walk, and provides some extra motivation to start running. “We started an informal running club in work - just 30-40 minutes running during our lunch break so when the nights creep in we can keep the exercise going. If the run lasts a little longer we just add some time onto the start or end of the day and take a flexible approach as we realise how important it is both physically and mentally to stay active. Our top tip is a good pair of trainers - and some headphones to get some motivational tunes playing!”

Hayley Duffy, Personal Trainer and Health and Wellbeing coordinator

“I won’t lie to you, I find winter a struggle to navigate through. In general, the combination of the short, dark days mixed with the fact I spend approximately five months of the year being a human ice cube doesn’t make for a particularly cheerful time. The battle is to find the balance between sticking to a healthy lifestyle and allowing myself some motivational treats along the way. Here are my top tips to staying motivated:

1) Plan in advance. This goes across the board from menu ideas, meal prep/ batch cooking to set workout routines and times. If it’s all there and ready to go in advance you are much more likely to stick to it rather than relying on finding the motivation to do it from scratch that day. 2) Allow for slip ups. Nobody is perfect and sometimes things just don’t go to plan. By allowing for and making peace with this potential you can help avoid the all or nothing complex, which can lead into relapse (e.g.: I forgot my lunch today so had to buy something at the shop which wasn’t healthy in the slightest so I may as well just write this entire week off). 3) Be kind to yourself. There is such a thing as healthy treats and these can be used as a motivational tactic. Quite often if I’m having a bad day I will think of something I really consider to

be a treat that can be my reward for getting through whatever challenge it is. It can literally be something as small as doing a face mask or having a nice long bath or having a chat with a friend. Having a positive thing to look forward to can really help.”

Paul Curotto, Waste Training Educator

“Here I am pictured with my wife Mandy and our two Cane Corsso dogs Gino and Gilda. They need a fair amount of exercise just on a daily basis. But during autumn and winter we often get out onto the beaches with them and also onto the fells in the Dales and Lakes. This is motivation alone for us to get out and see the changes that the autumn and winter bring. I think in reality it’s the dogs that exercise the humans and not the other way round.”

Martin Duxbury, Deputy Head of Radiotherapy

“Karate/kick-boxing, playing squash, going to the gym and walking (admittedly, with pub stops!) all get my pulse rating. I’ve got to that stage now whereby not doing exercise causes frustration, so I need to keep doing it to keep well. Prior to that, I had to keep reminding myself why I needed to do it - i.e. keep fit, keep well. “Keeping fit is a core part of keeping well and is linked closely with emotional and mental wellbeing as well as physical wellbeing. It’s good for you, invest in looking after yourself.”

Claire McGarry, Health and Wellbeing Practitioner

“I don’t have one particular form of activity that gets my pulse racing. The key to my success has always been variety. What I used to tell my clients when I was a personal trainer was to find something you love! Don’t take up running if you hate how it makes you feel. I have always enjoyed anything from weight training to yoga. I’ve currently gone back to dance class, something that was a part of my life for more than 20 years and I can’t tell you how good it feels to be back doing something that brings me joy. Mixing my activity up with walks, home work outs and dance classes keeps me motivated and feeling good! “Now the dark nights are approaching it’s time to mix up your routine. Firstly, ensure you keep to your ‘appointment’. Don’t cancel on yourself! If you are lucky enough to work part time or flexibly try doing a short burst of activity at lunch or on your break. If you are heading to the gym, go straight from work because as soon as you get home and put those slippers on you are making things ten times harder for yourself. If none of this works around your schedule I find getting up that little bit earlier to work out does the trick. If you are not a morning person, getting up 45min earlier won’t feel any harder, I promise. Get it out of the way and I promise it will set you up for a positive day.”

Christine Blackburn - Children’s Physiotherapist

“During the summer I like to exercise outside if I can, whether it be cycling, jogging, walking or swimming as I love being out in nature. In the winter, I like to mix up in the gym and will try a variety of classes from body combat, HIT, to yoga to keep me motivated. I also love some loud music with a good beat to work to. “The most important thing about exercise or physical activity is that you enjoy it, it doesn’t matter what you do as long as you’re moving, getting out of breath and enjoying it, that way you’re more likely to keep it up.”

Suzanne Rogerson, Senior Research

“If life becomes busy or stressful, the thing that helps me is exercise. I have cycled to work for many years now and also enjoy walking and cycling with family and friends. I recently successfully completed the National Three Peaks and took part in our team YCR Tour de Walkshire challenge in May. “I train with LTHT Sport Karate club twice a week and find it invaluable in allowing me to de-stress at the end of the day and to really focus on the present. It helps me to take control and to cope with a busy job. Unfortunately, we were unable to train together from March 2020 until May 2021 and since then have only been able to train outside. This is becoming increasingly difficult as the weather worsens and the evenings become darker. “Go to a place where you feel comfortable and confident - for me it’s normally the LTHT gym and exercise with a group who can spur you on and keep you motivated.”

Megan Holmes - Play Leader

“I work as a Play Leader on PICU five days a week but on week nights and weekends I am a sheep farmer! I also have two alpacas and shire horses! Having a large flock of sheep, gives me therapy after a long hard day. There’s something that brings me relaxation when I’m sat in a sheep field or getting up at 3am to help a ewe give birth. The fresh air, cold mornings and sometimes long nights help me to de-stress and keep my mind healthy. Being a sheep farmer challenges me in a different way but supports the job that I do on PICU.”