Are you physically active enough, do you lack motivation?

If you are not active enough and lack motivation, then the NHS may just have hit on an idea to get you moving!

Most people are aware that regular exercise is good for them. Many of us do regular activities such as walking, running, cycling, Pilates, yoga, gym work or other forms of exercise. Some do more but many do less due to a mix of lifestyle factors and lack of motivation.

But the NHS, which has long advocated that everyone will benefit from exercise, says it is essential to be physically active if you want to live a healthy and fulfilling life into old age.

Such regular exercise can lower the risk of many diseases such as coronary heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, bowel cancer, breast cancer in women, early death, osteoarthritis, hip fracture, falls (among older adults), depression, and dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

Moreover, research also shows that physical activity can boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy, as well as reducing the risk of stress.

Now the NHS is taking steps (no pun intended!) to reward people who walk 30 minutes a day because getting steps in has long been linked to better health , and for the first time the NHS-backed scheme will start giving people rewards for doing exercise.

Starting in 2027, NHS England will launch a “marathon a month” challenge, asking people to walk for around 30 minutes a day. Those who do it every day will hit roughly 26 miles a month – the distance of a marathon.

Users will be able to log their walks online, or through their phone or smartwatch. And the NHS says those who complete the challenge will then be eligible for rewards – which could include incentives and discounts.

In terms of funding, the NHS is covering the initial set‑up costs, but the wider plan is to draw in philanthropic backing from major corporates as the scheme rolls out.

The scheme is being developed in partnership with Olympic medallist Sir Brendan Foster, founder of the Great North Run, who was asked by NHS England to set up a campaign to get people walking.

“I’m known for running, but the ambition here is far simpler. We just want people to walk. Simple,” he says. It is part of the 10-year health plan for England. He is reported as having told the BBC that getting more people active is his mission.

Physical inactivity is associated with one in six deaths, according to NHS England. A person is classified as physically inactive if they do less than 30 minutes of moderate-intensity equivalent physical activity per week. In November 2025 nearly a quarter of adults, or around 12 million people, were physically inactive.

Full details of the scheme will be released in the coming months, along with information on how to sign up.

Health officials say the NHS will not be paying for the rewards. They say the NHS in England will be in partnership with other organisations from public and private sector who will run the scheme. GPs and other health staff will be encouraged to promote the initiative among their patients.

Source:

1-https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj6g0rdy40jo

2-https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/