Move
All our guides on this topic, gathered here.
I've never exercised: where do I start?
Never exercised? Here is how to start very small, with no gym and no equipment, and without aiming for performance. Concrete first steps.
Read the guideHow much should you move each week? The guidelines, without guilt
The WHO physical activity guidelines explained simply: a long-term horizon, not a starting point. And how to make progress without feeling guilty.
Read the guideWalking: the best way to start (or restart) exercising
Why walking is an excellent starting point if you are sedentary, and how to fit it into your week with no equipment and no pressure.
Read the guideSitting all day: why it matters and what to do
Why time spent sitting matters even if you do exercise, and a few simple ways to break up sitting during the day, without pressure.
Read the guideExercising at home, with no gym and no equipment
No gym, no equipment: simple ways to move at home, suited to beginners, with nothing to buy and no membership.
Read the guideFinding 20 minutes when you have no time
No time to move? Realistic ways to slip movement into a busy day, without blocking out an hour or getting changed.
Read the guideGetting back into exercise after years away
Resuming activity after years off: restart from zero without chasing your old level, avoid too much early enthusiasm, and progress in steps.
Read the guideStarting to exercise when you hate the idea
Hate exercise? Good news: moving is not the same as doing sport. How to find an activity that doesn't feel like a chore.
Read the guideMoving when you feel overweight, without judgement
Getting moving again when you feel overweight: no weight target, no judgement, starting from how it feels. Gentle reference points to begin at your own pace.
Read the guideSitting at a desk or working from home: active micro-breaks
Sitting all day at a desk or working from home? Active micro-breaks of a few minutes, easy to slip into a working day, with no equipment.
Read the guideGetting past the self-consciousness of starting (gyms, other people's eyes)
Fear of being watched, an intimidating gym, worry about looking ridiculous: concrete, gentle ways to start without feeling observed.
Read the guideSticking with it through the first weeks: habit over motivation
Motivation comes and goes; habit stays. How to anchor a little movement in your weeks, make up for a missed day and not give up at the first slip.
Read the guideBack pain or injury: when to see a professional first
Back pain or a past injury: why to ask a doctor or physiotherapist for advice before getting going again, and how to approach movement with caution.
Read the guideA first week of getting moving again (a gentle plan)
A very gentle seven-day plan: a few minutes of walking, a little mobility, rest days. A starting point to adapt, with no performance goal.
Read the guideGentle strength and mobility at home (no weights)
A few simple strength and mobility movements to do at home, with no equipment or weights, to ease back in. Reference points and precautions.
Read the guideIncidental activity: stairs, journeys, housework
Moving without "doing sport": stairs, walking journeys, housework, gardening. How everyday movement counts, and how to add a little.
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