Getting older doesn’t mean you should stop exercising. You might be a bit less agile and slower than when you were younger but regular exercise can help improve flexibility and mobility and you will look and feel so much younger! We recently wrote a piece about this, check out The Importance of Keeping Fit in the Golden Years.
 
There are so many reasons why it’s important to keep active as we age but it’s not easy to stay motivated, especially if you lack confidence or feel a little isolated. That’s one of the reasons an exercise class is such a fantastic way to stay in shape. As well as the physical benefits associated with regular exercise you will also meet new people and form new friendships. The chance to have a good natter with some like minded friends after some gentle exercise is a really great motivator to get yourself out to a regular class.
 
The NHS recommends regular exercise to help you stay healthy and active. Ensuring you exercise regularly can help improve sleep, relieve stress, improve your balance and give you more self confidence. Move it or Lose it classes are a perfect way to start exercising and improving your overall well being. Move it or Lose it classes began in 2010 by Julie Robinson in order to help motivate older people to stay active. The company has grown and now has a network of instructors across the country, including Amanda Abbott at Smart Fitt so you can now join a class near you, we have put one on for every day of the week. Even better your first class is free!
 
Move It or Lose It classes:
 
Monday: 

• 10:45-11:45 (starts 4th March)
• The Centre at Elsea Park, 1 Sandown Drive, Bourne, Lincolnshire, PE10 0US
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Tuesday: 

• 13:30-14:30 (starts 5th March)
• Essendine Village Hall, 6 Glen Crescent, Essendine, Lincolnshire, PE9 4LQ

 
Wednesday: 

• 13:00-13:45 (starts 6th March)
• Tallington Village Hall, Main Road, Tallington, Lincolnshire, PE9 4RP

 
Thursday: 

• 13:30-14:15 (starts 7th March)
• The Dance Academy, Station Road, Corby Glen, Grantham, NG33 4NW

 
Friday: 

• 13:30-14:15 (starts 8th March)
• The Barn, Baston, Main Street, Baston, Lincolnshire, PE6 9PA

 
For more information call Amanda on 07535788756, or email amanda@smart-fitt.fitness.
 
We hope to see you at a Move It or Lose It class soon!

During February Smart Fitt is running a promotion called “Bring a Buddy” and get 2 for the price of 1. So if you’re struggling to stick to your New Year fitness goals or you just need some extra motivation, this is a fantastic opportunity to help you keep on track.

Exercising can be much more effective when you do it with friends and if you’re wondering how it can help you here are 8 Great Reasons to Train with a Friend:

1. Accountability When the tough gets going and you feel like giving in or you’ve had a bad week and are lacking the motivation, having a friend who depends on you to turn up to train together means you are more likely to keep going and stick to your fitness goals. It’s much easier to put off a workout if you’re only accountable to yourself so plan a weekly training session to keep the momentum going.
2. It’s more fun to train with a friend It can get stale and boring when you train on your own. Exercising with friends is much more enjoyable and means you’ll be much more likely to keep on training.
3. It makes you work harder Even if you don’t see yourself as particularly competitive you’ll still find you try much harder when working out with a friend. Trying to keep up with a training partner can make you push yourself harder than you would if you train alone.
4. You have more chance of fulfilling your exercise goals Exercising with your friend gives you the added motivation to keep going. You’ll be more likely to achieve your goals and set new ones.
5. Safety When lifting weights it’s always good to have a ‘spotter’, someone you trust to make sure your technique is good and to encourage you to complete your exercises.
6. Social Interaction Exercising with friends allows you to share your successes, support one another and form new bonds.
7. Get some ‘me time’ Working out with a friend can give you a much needed break from your everyday life. Having a regular time when you meet up with your exercise buddy can really help your mental well-being.
8. Learn new skills Everyone has their own unique skills and interests and by working out with a friend you can pick up new fitness exercises and possibly try a class you wouldn’t have tried if you were on your own.

With all this in mind now is a great time to start exercising with a friend so why not take advantage of Smart-Fitt’s February offer and get 2 for the price of 1 on a range of our classes.  All the classes are mixed gender, great fun, led by a mature qualified experienced instructor and with daytime and evening options available.
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All you need to do is print off the vouchers or show them on your phone and say where you saw this, either on the website or social media.

Smart Fitt has embarked on an amazing challenge this month. In a bid to raise as much money as possible for Alzheimer’s Research UK, Amanda and her family have pledged to ride 1000 miles between them starting from the beginning of November 2018 until the end of January 2019. As the winter months close in, the last thing most of us feel like doing is heading out on our bikes in the wind and rain but Amanda and her team will be braving all weathers to achieve their goal!
 
Alzheimers Research UK is the UK’s leading dementia research charity. Their research aims to: Bring about greater understanding of the diseases that cause dementia, earlier and more accurate diagnosis, using most up to date evidence to reduce risk, and ensure dementia is treated effectively. As it stands today there are no dementia survivors. Alzheimer’s Research UK aims to change this.
 
Why Donate?
As well as helping to ensure Alzheimer’s Research UK can continue to carry out their vital work you will also be helping to motivate Amanda and her family to keep going with the challenge, especially when they are faced with the cold, dark winter days.
 
You can donate quickly and easily at Amanda’s fundraising page. You check on their progress and leave messages to keep them going!
 
Smart Fitt is inspired by the ongoing work and research carried out by Alzheimer’s Research UK and Amanda and her family feel passionate about supporting the charity by completing the Cycling Down Dementia Epic Challenge - 1000 miles. Whatever you can afford to give will help Alzheimers Research UK deliver their aims.
 
Amanda works closely with older people, offering specialist fitness classes for all abilities. She feels strongly about the positive effect regular exercise can have both physically and mentally.
A recent study has suggested that a third of cases of dementia could be prevented through changes in our lifestyle as we age. The Age Well trial found that participants who showed the biggest increase in mental and physical activity were those who had set targets and mentoring to assess their progress.
 
Help to spread the word about Alzheimer’s Research UK by sharing Amanda’s fundraising page with all your friends and family. The more people that know about Alzheimer’s Research UK’s vital research work the greater the chance of the charity being able to achieve their mission of bringing about a life-changing dementia treatment by 2025.
 
Be sure to follow the hashtag #TEAMARUK