Keeping active
To stay fit and healthy, adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week, or around 20 to 30 minutes a day. Physical activity is good for both your body and mind. You don’t have to go to the gym every day – something as simple as a brisk walk or time spent gardening can give your body a boost, lift your mood and make everyday activities easier.
National support
The Better health campaign – get active is a national resource from the NHS containing tools, tips and special offers and a collection of activities to help you get moving. It includes apps such as couch to 5k and Active 10, simple tips to help you move more, a nine-week couch to fitness programme, as well as free and paid for online exercise platforms and home workouts.
Sport England’s Join the movement campaign offers simple, fun and free ways to get active, as well as a structured exercise programme, fitness challenges and workout programmes to try.
We Are Undefeatable provides ideas, advice and other support for ways to get active if you are managing a long-term health condition.
Active on Demand is a tool to enable people of all abilities to find online workouts for free, ranging from chair based exercises to HIIT workouts, yoga, pilates and strength work.
Our Parks provides free at-home workouts to do at any time of the day, including a beginner's nine-week online programme of exercise classes. Each video class is hosted by three different coaches, all working at different energy levels, so it's suitable for all ability levels.
Activity Alliance supports disabled people to find opportunities to get active, as well as supporting organisations to engage disabled people and people with long-term health conditions, inclusively and accessibly.
NHS Fitness Studio offers free online fitness workouts.
Free for NHS staff
Below are details of paid for activities that are free for NHS staff.
Be Military Fit (BMF) offers NHS colleagues free access to a multi-functional online platform when you sign up with your NHS email.
#DoingOurBit offers NHS colleagues free access to an online platform of more than 50 free workouts.
Local support
Everyday active provides residents of Kent and Medway with tips to get and stay active. Activities include walking, running, cycling, home and solo exercise, group exercise, swimming, sports and active days out.
One You Kent provides access to personalised one-to-one support through lifestyle advisors who can help individuals set goals, increase activity levels and find local activities to suit them. The site also provides information on walking for health and useful apps including Couch to 5k and Active 10.
A Better Medway provides inspiration for getting active, including health walks, cycling and Man V Fat football leagues. You’ll also find details of the Medway can campaign with details of a host of activities to get involved in and resources for you to support others.
Simply connect Medway is a social prescribing resource for connecting people with non-clinical services and activities across Medway. You’ll find details of local services, activities and support such as exercise or social clubs, or you can get involved in a local charity or find specialist support.
Simply connect Canterbury is a social prescribing resource for connecting people with non-clinical services in East Kent, including Faversham, Whitstable, Herne Bay, and Canterbury. You can search for hobbies and interests, citizens advice, and physical activities such as fitness classes, walking groups sports clubs and outdoor activities.
Active Kent and Medway Partnership provides practical advice and resources for being active at work, being active with disabilities and long term conditions, for active travel (cycling and walking), connecting with nature and tackling inequalities.