Good morning and welcome to the day 1 of the Lidl Moves for 20x20 programme.

We hope you’re feeling motivated to get started on your journey towards a new exercise habit!

Have you completed the questionnaire on site and filled out your 20 day exercise planner yet? If not, get yourself over to www.Lidl.ie/20x20 and access all of the resources and advice available to help you get moving. Starting something new can be daunting so we, along with our brilliant ambassadors, have put together the microsite to provide you with as much help as possible so make sure you lean on us and them to help you on the journey. Don’t be afraid to get your friends and family involved too – committing to a new habit with someone else will make it easier for both you and them!

For a little inspiration on a Monday morning, check out Lidl and 20x20 ambassador Sarah Rowe’s Q&A which includes great advice on motivation and mental strength:

1. Top tips to get going on days when motivation is low?

   Think feelings first. Ask yourself the questions, how will I feel after this? What will this do for the rest of my day? Tune into that internal dialogue. It’s all about changing the focus of why you are exercising on days where motivation is low. It will change the way you think about exercise and that will change the way you feel about exercise.

2. Advice for staying strong mentally during exercise?

   Think of your mind and body as two different people and realise that during exercise often our mind plays tricks on us and tells us we can’t. Challenge that voice. Also, think that after this everything is easy and my mind and body will work better for the rest of the day. We are often more productive and can think clearer after exercise so understand and acknowledge that ripple effect.

3. What’s the best advice you ever received in relation to physical activity and/or motivation?

   Do what works for you. If it’s not sustainable or enjoyable for you, it won’t last too long.

4. What advice would you give to any woman who feels it’s too late to start or return to a physical activity routine and make it part of their lives?

   Clichéd as it is, it is never too late. I would say start small; make one small change and stick with it – it should be easy and achievable at the start and then build on that one step at a time and keep making progress.

5. Why is it important to you to be involved in this campaign to get more women exercising regularly?

   I’m really passionate about this topic having studied it and now working in this area to help people change their habits through Neuro Linguistic Programming which is all about the subconscious mind and how we think. I believe the smallest changes can have a huge impact on not just our physical health but also our mental health.

6. Anything else to add?

   You are one decision away from a different life! That’s how powerful physical activity can be!