Exercise helps prevent high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, poor circulation, obesity, joint and bone problems. It can also provide valuable social contact, reduce anxiety, help with depression and make you feel more alert, energetic and cheerful. Talk to your doctor about different types of exercise or contact a qualified instructor to discuss your particular needs or any physical conditions that might be affected. It is important to take it slowly at first. Be aware of your limitations and build up your exercise gently. Some exercising ideas: walking, swimming, cycling, tennis, badminton, keep fit or aerobics, yoga, Pilates, tai chi, golf, dance, gym and bowling.
Walking
To find local organised walks in Essex check the
Walking your way to health initiative site
or your local council:
Essex County Council
Basildon - Health walks
Braintree - Walking for well being
Brentwood - Walking
Castle Point - Walk tall
Chelmsford - Heart and sole healthy walks
Colchester - Health walk groups
Epping Forest - Lifewalks
Maldon - Health walks
Rochford - Walking the way to health
Walks in Tendring
Uttlesford - Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Programme
Downloadable guides for walking in Essex
Essex County Council has produced several walking, cycling and horse riding guides for the County. These are available to download for free.
Sports facilities
Leisure centres will often offer 50+ sessions, GP referral programmes, classes to suit all levels of fitness, gentle exercise classes and a centre for inclusive fitness with fitness equipment catering for the needs of the disabled. Follow the "Links" to find details of your local sports and leisure facilities.
Leisure and sport passes
Discount cards are available for many sports and leisure facilities. These offer reduced entry charges for local residents.
Sports - clubs directory
Sportessex
is the official body for sport in Essex working in partnership with many organisations across the County to promote sport and set up new sporting opportunities. The sportessex website includes a searchable database to enable you to look for sports, clubs or facilities in the county.
Healthy Arts
Living a healthier lifestyle isn't about facing difficult big decisions, it's about making small changes which can improve your health and your quality of living. The
Healthy Arts project
aims to improve health in the community and independence amongst people with disabilities, achieving this by offering a mobile outreach service which is broken into two elements: health monitoring and advice and community art classes.
