London 2012: be inspired

Dame Kelly Holmes dreamed of Olympic glory after watching Sebastian Coe cross the finish line to win the 1,500m at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

That dream became a reality when, 20 years and a lot of hard work later, she won two Olympic gold medals running in the 800m and 1,500m in Athens in 2004.
Whether you’ve got similar ambitions or just want to keep healthy, Kelly says that the London 2012 Olympics are a great opportunity to get active and boost your fitness.
"London 2012 has the ability to inspire people from so many walks of life, and so many abilities and disabilities, to get involved in sport," she says.
"A lot of swimming, cycling and running projects are going on at the moment to get more people involved in physical activity in their local area."

Get fit with the Olympics

With preparations for the London Games in full swing, now is an exciting time to get involved in sport and fitness.
In Get fit with the Olympics, we showcase many Olympic and Paralympic sports, from archery to wrestling. There's information on their health benefits, how you can get involved locally and useful website links.
You'll find many inspirational stories of how sport can change lives, from a London woman’s first marathon experience to how table tennis gave Darius Knight the direction he needed to avoid a life on the streets.
If you’re in a rut, you don’t do enough exercise or you just want to become more active, find the sport that's right for you with the Olympics-inspired What's your sport? tool. You can create your personal profile using tests to assess your personality, aptitude and reactions
For the first time, 60 Olympians and Paralympians, past and present, have been brought together to give their personal tips for health and fitness in Health tips from Olympic athletes.

With the excitement of the London 2012 Games building, Public Health Minister Anne Milton says there’s never been a better time for people to get inspired about being active.

Milton says: “The Olympics-inspired What's your sport? tool encourages people to try something that suits their abilities and personality, but which they may never have previously considered. Whether you’re bored of the gym or don’t normally exercise, there are recommendations for everyone for things to do locally.
“This will hopefully mean that many more of us will follow in the footsteps of our sporting heroes as well as cheering them on.”

Getting started

Regular exercise is important for your health. To maintain good health, adults need to do a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week. Children and young people should do at least 60 minutes a day.

Find out more about activity levels and how to get started in our fitness section. You'll find lots of articles and videos on how to gradually increase your activity level.
For many of us, including Kelly Holmes, finding the time and motivation to keep fit is easier said than done.
"I find that now, not being an athlete any more, trying to fit activities in is so hard because of lifestyle demands and a lack of time,” she says.
“But when you think about it, if you want to look good, healthy and energetic, you have to make exercise a priority."
Being active is great for your physical health and evidence shows that it can also improve your mental wellbeing.

Olympics: be inspired

Dame Kelly Holmes gives advice about community sports that you can try, no matter what your age, background or ability.