Get Physical on National Fitness Day on 7 September!

National Fitness Day 2016

With National Fitness Day fast approaching, Wednesday 7th September, ukactive Chair and the most celebrated Paralympian Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson talks about the most active day of the year.

I am delighted and highly privileged as ukactive Chair to be a part of National Fitness Day 2016, it’s a day when we practice what we preach all year round, less talking and more doing. It was amazing to see the power this event harnessed last year, with an estimated reach of over 50 million people. It was particularly special and a real pleasure for me, as I got the chance to spend the day at a school in West London to see first-hand how much kids enjoyed getting out of the classroom, running around for half an hour and learning new ways, active ways, to incorporate physical activity in the classroom.

National Fitness Day is a day for celebration, a day to celebrate the fun of fitness and enjoy movement. We hear about and produce health campaigns throughout the course of the year which can sometimes leave us feeling guilty or worry about how much exercise we do. Understanding the risks that inactivity poses and working out policy measures to make sure people can add activity into daily life, fulfilling the CMO guideline is clearly very important. That being said, often it’s just almost as crucial to take a step back from it all and enjoy the simple thrill of getting out of breath from rigorous or moderate activity. That’s where National Fitness Day comes into its own; it’s so simple.

National Fitness Day is on the same day as the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games so I’ll be tweeting from my personal profile, using the hashtag #FitnessDay all the way from Rio, along with covering the ceremony so I do not miss any of the action. National Fitness Day is an important part of the year because it’s all inclusive; everyone can and should get involved. We are going to make no apologies about celebrating the success of Team GB at the elite level, but also I think it’s a great opportunity to spread the message, that everyone in Britain can play their part. We’re a nation that wants to get into the thick of it, not just watch from the side-lines.

From previous years, thousands of people picked up a new habit, learned a new class or type of exercise, and consequently have gone on to shed their sedentary lifestyle choices opting for a more active one, which in itself is a huge pat on the shoulder for all involved. This is an incredible achievement and this year, I hope we can do the same and beyond – the sky really is the limit.

So do get involved, do your bit, and let’s celebrate and inspire movement on September 7th 2016.

To find out more about National Fitness Day, click here.