This year National Fitness Day will take place on Wednesday 27th of September 2017.
National Fitness Day is designed to encourage the nation to get moving by emphasising the importance of being fit and healthy. With obesity and type 2 diabetes on the rise, we also believe it is crucial to highlight and raise awareness of the importance of physical activity for everyone and persuade more people to get involved across the UK.
“National Fitness Day sees the nation celebrate the fun and thrills of physical activity. Throughout the UK, more than 20,000 free events will take place in gyms, leisure centres, parks, high streets, schools, universities and workplaces as over one million people lace up their trainers and embrace being active for the day.” – 1Life News.
It’s apparent that many people working in office jobs across the UK sit down for the majority of the day, which is resulting in minimal activity and people not even getting near to the recommended 10,000 steps a day goal. In fact, only 35% of workers in the UK achieve their recommended levels of daily activity, and 73% attribute their lack of exercise due to work commitments. It doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming to build exercise into your working day, it could just be a quick visit to the gym or a short stroll on your lunch break! Remember - any activity is better than none.
Why is being active important for work?
Studies have found that partaking in exercise before work helps lower stress levels, improve decision making and increases energy levels. Not only this, but exercise can also contribute to improving your mood, increase the quality of your sleep, progress your mental well-being and have a positive impact your self-esteem.
For the 2017 National Fitness Day, one of the main sponsors is AXA PPP Healthcare.
AXA PPP Healthcare will be helping by taking National Fitness Day into workplaces and onto the high streets to encourage as many people to participate as possible. Their aim is to encourage workplaces to push the start of the work day back one hour to give employees the opportunity to fit in exercise time before their day of work.
How to get involved
Help make the 27th of September the most active day of the year by getting involved. Share what fitness means to you on twitter by using the hash tag #Fitness2me or use the Activity Finder to search what’s going on in your area for National Fitness Day!
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