Living healthily in London sounds like a contradiction in terms, right? Of course, there are gyms in London but the city known as ‘the Big Smoke’ doesn’t make it easy for its citizens to keep themselves in tip top health.
Travelling and living in London is not a healthy experience, every form of public transport is jam packed, full of coughing fellow passengers and other less than savoury activities. Dust levels on the underground are estimated to be 20 times higher than those over ground and it’s clearly not a healthy person’s travel option.
However, above ground isn’t that much better as air pollution causes over 1,500 premature deaths every year in the capital and it really is up to us to make a difference. London is a maze of connected roads and side streets so why choose to cough your way to work on the tube when you could be cycling in the glorious morning sun? Research tells us that 50% of all journeys around London are less than 2 miles long so you have absolutely no reason not to give it a go.
Keeping fit is integral to our daily lives so it beggars belief that regular gym goers can be seen hopping on the tube and then entering their gyms in London. Why not embrace the opportunity to keep fit on your journey to the gym too? Cycling is a brilliant way to keep healthy and travel speedily round London and currently only 2% of all journeys in the city are made by bike.
Once you get started you will soon learn the best ways to avoid the busy main roads and there are even guides available via the London Cycling Campaign website amongst other places.
Committing to biking or even walking to work is a great way of improving your personal health.
Despite being highly polluted and car cramped, London still benefits from some beautiful parks and green space. Utilise these to your advantage and go for a jog. Getting your heart pumping and your legs pounding is bound to help you feel better and shake off any grotty built up congestion due to the busy city life you lead. If you’re feeling competitive you could even work up and train for one of the many competitive runs going on around London. If you don’t feel ready for the big Marathon, what about the 5K race held in Hyde Park on a monthly basis? It’ll make you feel much better and naturally positive than a stodgy pub dinner on your lunch break.
London is packed out with clear opportunities to embrace nature and the chance to keep yourself fit and healthy. However, there are also a range of gyms in London which make it even easier to keep yourself in top condition. If you don’t want to commit to the Full Monty and would rather enjoy your gym exercises at your leisure, there are a wide range of gyms in London that now offer a range of pay as you go options. These options mean you can literally pay for a day or a week and enjoy the gym at your own pace without feeling the pressure of a membership fee hanging over your head.