Healthy Body: Exercise
“That’s all very well, but I hate exercise.”
(actual sentence said to me yesterday)
The short answer could have been “oh well, do it anyway“, but that’s not overly helpful.
The fact is – I know it wasn’t always like that, for her.
If you already have a workout routine that you love, fantastic.
No doubt you’re reaping the physical and mental benefits.
(Or maybe joining us live on Zoom three times a week might be doing it for you)
But if you’re reading this – and exercise doesn’t fill you with glee -there was a time it wasn’t like that for you either.
Children run, climb, dance, roly-poly, do sport and tear about the place for fun.
No one asks them to.
In fact most usually they are asked to STOP jigging about so much.
They do it for the love of it, and because it’s fun.
So there must have been a point when it stopped.
It’s worth looking at might have happened happen between then and now, to try to pinpoint the reason.
Self-Consciousness:
We’ve seen some of the stats on teen mental health and self image
Growing self-awareness and concerns about body image can get in the way the free-spirited enjoyment of physical activity as children get older.
Feelings of ‘Not Good Enough’
The cream of keen athletes, trained dancers and talented sportspeople rise to the top during secondary school. Many have extra tuition and coaching.
These are the children that flourish – and the net result is that the others (the average ability kids) can get left behind and feel like failures.
Secondary school can be a brutal place at the best of times.
Loss of Playfulness:
The transition to adulthood often involves losing the ‘playful’ mindset, Exercise becomes goal-oriented or a chore, rather than a source of enjoyment.
Being all Growd-up
Adults often face societal expectations to be more composed and sensible (God forbid).
In a bid to seem more ‘adult’ we can tend to minimise our focus on physical activities like running and dancing.
Spare time gets taken up by adult things – like going to Ikea or doing your tax return.
Life – in General:
The responsibilities and routines of adult life, including work and children, can leave little time or energy for physical play.
Flopping on the sofa can feel like the only thing that you’re good for, at the end of the day – and it’s completely understandable.
Physical Limitations:
Getting older can bring changes like decreased flexibility and strength. Especially if you haven’t done exercise since P.E.
This is going to make activities you might have enjoyed as a child feel less carefree, and more of a slog.
Health issues can even make things more painful and difficult – feeling more like punishment beatings rather than fun experiences.
And let’s be honest, you’re carrying lots of extra weight – EVERYTHING is harder.
It’s all very well for the size 8 fitness influencer to ping about the place, encouraging you to ‘feel the burn’. But if you’re bigger – it hurts more and is much more exhausting work.
(Cindy, 24, God love her and her perky little bum cheeks – may have no idea what you’re dealing with)
Based on all of that, being averse to exercise, absolutely makes sense, it’s quite logical, and not a failing.
But (whispers) you do still have to do it… for all the reasons we’ve been talking about.
The best piece of advice I can offer is – it really doesn’t matter what you do – what matters is, that you do it.
You could get yourself a notebook (any excuse) – just for this:
“OPERATION: FIND ACTIVITY I LIKE – TO GET ME MOVING AGAIN.”
(Or hate the least!)
You’ll probably think of a catchier name.
But have the goal of enjoyment, rather than being good at it.
Don’t even focus on the physical benefits.
Just aim to find what you might like.
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Play the long game.
You could start by thinking back to any physical activities you’ve ever enjoyed as a child or in your younger years.
Sometimes, rediscovering a past hobby like roller skating, badminton, or dancing can reignite a love for physical activity.
Or perhaps you’ve seen an activity you’ve fancied – and ruled out, because you thought it was ‘for other people’.
Or put out a call on social media to find out what people are currently enjoying out there.
There might be things going on that you’d never even heard of.
Set yourself an aim to try a new type of physical activity each week.
Even if you do it secretly online, for now.
After each activity, take a moment to reflect on how you felt during and after.
- Did it lift your mood?
- Did you enjoy it more than you expected?
- The goal is to find an activity that doesn’t feel like a chore.
You may passionate about it yet – ‘quite liking it’ will do for now. As you get better at activities you’ll find you like them more.
When you master them, you’re likely to be in full blown love with them.
But that’s down the line a bit.
The fitter you get, the more fun it’s likely to be.
It’s all about experimentation and being open to experiences, for now.
Then:
When you think you’ve narrowed things down to a workable number.
Try things out.
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Some ideas if you need them:
If you’re want more of a more holistic approach, try mind-body practices like Tai Chi, Qigong, or yoga.
Holistic exercise is incredibly ‘now’ and there is so much to choose from.
Many gyms and community centres offer trial classes for free or at a low cost. You could get a 7 day pass and try a few things out.
I am biased about this, so I won’t go on about it, but it’s a great bet.
You might have decided that you’re more of an outdoorsy bean.
The great outdoors has so many extra benefits.
Try hiking, cycling, freshwater swimming, or even a brisk walk in a scenic park.
If you enjoy nature, or prefer a less structured form of exercise that might be more up your street.
Or if you do want company – there are tons of running, walking, hiking and other kinds of outdoorsy groups with folk that would love to welcome you.
Look online for what’s on nearby.
The internet is awash with home workouts.
Some are fantastic – have a peruse.
Make sure you choose someone trained and qualified rather than a random Gymfluencer, to be sure your working out safely.
If you enjoy social settings, consider joining a local sports team, running club, or cycling group. Most LOVE newbies and will show you the ropes.
You just need to take a big breath, put your big knickers on and make the call.
It’s a great way to make new friends, feel that team spirit and a great sense of community.
Action
- Start your “Operation: find something that I love to get me moving again.”(Or hate the least!) – Journal.
- Research and try 1 or 2 new forms of exercise each week.
- Record how you felt.
- Take the plunge and pursue the ones that feel like possibilities.