National Sport Day: Promoting Health and Wellbeing

Authors: Dr. Amit Abraham, Dr. Sohaila Cheema, and Dr. Karima Chaabna

Qatar celebrates National Sport Day on the second Tuesday of February each year to promote physical activity and encourage movement for the whole family. By hosting international sports events such as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ , the recently concluded 2023 AFC Asian Cup, and the ongoing World Aquatic Championships, Qatar aims to raise awareness and inspire the population to integrate sports and physical activity into their daily lives.

It is important to engage in physical activity for at least thirty minutes on most days of the week, with activities like brisk walking, muscle strengthening, playing ball games, or running. Incorporating physical activity into your daily routine and finding the motivation to get started can, however, be challenging at times. Have a look at some of the suggestions below on how you can move from mere good intent into making physical activity a consistent habit. 

Tips to get moving, and keep on going…

• Motivation: Find a reason that drives you to be more active. Maybe you want to build strength, enhance your mental health, or take part in the upcoming Doha Marathon. Focus on achievable, feel-good goals rather than the elusive ‘perfect weight’ or ‘ideal body size’.
• Make a plan: Aim for gradual progression. Start small, especially if you have not been particularly active recently. As you get used to it, you can increase the intensity or duration of your workouts but have a step-by-step plan to do so. If you need to take a break from your physical activity routine, strategize when and how you will resume after the break.

• Commit: Give yourself time to get used to the routine. There is no defined time period to form a habit; it depends on the complexity of the task and could vary from one person to the next. Research suggests that simple tasks like placing your keys in the same spot can take a week to become automatic, but more complex goals like a new gym routine can take longer. Remember this is a journey, not a sprint.
• Bundle it with something you enjoy: Engage in something you enjoy while exercising. People are more likely to embrace physical activity if they associate it with something they can savor. Catch up on the latest podcast while lifting weights or relive the television episode while on the stationary bike.
• Exercise with a buddy or a trainer: This may look different for everyone. Some might prefer to work out alone while watching videos online or doing stretches in a park. Others might prefer a personal fitness instructor or taking up a new sport with an exercise buddy. Do not be afraid of trying something new but take adequate precautions to avoid injury.
• Give yourself a pat on the back: A major barrier to starting physical activity may be feeling self-conscious or worrying about being judged by others, but remember that every step, no matter how small, counts. Making the decision to be more physically active is something to celebrate, along with every other milestone you achieve along the way.

Maintaining an active lifestyle extends beyond the daily exercise routine. It is also about what you do outside your designated exercise window. For example, do you take the stairs instead of the elevator? After work, do you play with your kids or walk the dog, or do you sprawl on the couch streaming a show? Not only do you need to regularly workout, but you also need to minimize sedentary behavior.

Incorporating physical activity as a long-term sustainable change can be challenging, yet rewarding at the same time. The recipe for being more physically active has several ingredients: inner motivation, planning and commitment, and rewarding yourself. So, challenge yourself to move more for optimum health and wellbeing!

Sources: Government Communications Office, Qatar | Mayo Clinic | The Conversation | Doha Marathon | National Institute on Aging | University of Pennsylvania Wharton Magazine | University of Pennsylvania

Editor: Julietta Mirghani