Page 2 - 20170519 Move More The Star supplement

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We’re out to get the whole
It’s simple. We want to make it easier for you, your family, your friends, the whole city to move more, writes Professor Rob Copeland, of Sheffield Hallam University, director of the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine and Move More.
And to help we’ve come up with something a bit spe- cial for Sheffield – Move More Month. A city-wide competi- tion, open to everyone.
We’re aiming to make it easier for the people of Shef- field to be physically active during the whole of June – clocking up as many active minutes as they can and do- ing their city proud. We want Sheffield to become the most active city in the UK by 2020.
Move More Month has
been created by the Nation- al Centre for Sport and Ex- ercise Medicine (NCSEM) in Sheffield – an Olympic Lega- cy programme – this is to en- courage people of all ages and of all abilities to join in and move more.
During June, physical ac- tivity providers across Shef- field have come together to put on hundreds of different activities for you and yours to try from Aerobics to Zum- ba, Health Walks to Walking Football. Something for eve- ryone.
We’ve also created some fun challenges such as the Steel City Derby and the Workplace Challenge, where physical activity is used to score virtual goals, achieve medals and compete with
HELEN SOLLY
colleagues at work. Move- ments can be logged on smart phones by the new and free Move More Sheffield app, which has been developed by a team of experts from both of Sheffield’s Universities.
Once downloaded, the app will automatically track activ- ity and clock up users Move More Minutes, which then power the challenges. The Move More website (www. movemoresheffield.com) is where users can join Move More competitions.
There is compelling and indisputable evidence that physical activity performed on a regular basis is good for you, for us as a society, for our environment and our econ- omy.
It is well documented that physical activity can enhance and sustain our health, help- ing to prevent chronic dis- eases, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes as well as enabling us to recov- er quicker if we do become ill.
Additionally, creating a culture of physical activity in Sheffield could lead to more than 600 premature deaths being prevented each year. That’s friends, relatives, col- leagues, neighbours and members of our communi- ties in Sheffield sharing life together longer.
It is perhaps less well publicised that physical ac- tivity can also improve the educational attainment of our children, help to reduce anti-social behaviour, build self-esteem across the life- span, contribute to urban re- generation and help increase work productivity, quality of life and employment.
Also, a physically active so-
Move More with a Girls’ Climbing Day
ciety will result in a major de- cline in loneliness and social isolation, along with a reduc- tion in depression and poor psychological health.
There will be significant per capita reductions in CO2 emissions and reduced con- gestion via active travel and a lower number of working age people on out of work benefits.
Sounds great doesn’t it?
There is of course a prob- lem. The world we all live in doesn’t make being physical-
ly active very easy; in fact, it’s easier to move less, than it is to move more.
For example over the last three decades we (as a society) have become increasingly re- liant on technology for tasks of daily living and our work and leisure choices, environ- ments and opportunities pre- dominantly promote si ing down.
Sedentary forms of trans- port are a perceived necessity and as a result, the social and physical design of our schools,
workplaces and communities has changed to accommodate these preferences.
In summary, we have pret- ty much engineered physical activity out of daily life.
The result is the majority of society, and particularly the least affluent, are experi- encing negative physical and emotional health with huge medical, psycho-social and economic consequences.
This is unacceptable.
A change in culture is re- quired.
Fitness role model Glenn – from couch potato to run leader
Professor Rob Copeland, of Sheffield Hallam University, left, on the BBC Breakfast red sofa
When Glenn Hodkinson tipped the scales at 18 stone, he knew it was time to do something about his weight.
Suffering health problems including high blood pres- sure, Glenn, 36, from Parson Cross, Sheffield, decided he needed to take action and pull himself out of the rut he was stuck in.
But never could Glenn have imagined that less than two years later, he would be leading a community running
group using his own story to inspire others to shape up and go from couch potato to run- ning 5k in 12 weeks.
Glenn, who works for Shef- field City Council, explained: “It was around 18 months ago when I started my health and fitness journey. I knew I was overweight but needed help to get me out of the cycle of unhealthy living so I asked my GP for some advice on healthy eating and exercise.”
He was referred to a
health specialist at SOAR and, through a combination of dietary advice, healthy eat- ing and a community exercise class in Shiregreen, Glenn soon noticed the pounds were falling away and he said: “I lost three stone in three months, which was incredible, and gave me the motivation to try new things like cycling to progress my physical fitness.”
In July this year, the com- munity group moved to Con- cord Sports Centre where
Glenn started using the Fit- ness Unlimited gym regular- ly and attending the weekly walking and running club.
“I became very active in the running club and was ex- tremely proud to be chosen by English Athletics to take part in a run leaders course in the city funded by Concord Sports Centre.”
For more information on the Concord Trailers or to join the session simply ask in ven- ue, or call 0114 257 0053.
Glenn Hodkinson , centre, with members of the Concord Trailers