Women & Fitness
On why it's so easy to put our fitness in the back burner & ways to change that
I have been working with women over the last 7 years. Women with varied backgrounds - housewives, working women, voluntary workers etc. Inspite of all the differences in lifestyle, there is one common thread that ties them all & that is, our cultural conditioning.
In this post, I will address some of the cultural issues as well as certain detrimental mindsets that come in the way of making daily exercise a lifestyle habit.
I will also attempt to offer some solutions.
Please note, in no way, I am stereotyping women. I know that many women have realised the benefits of being active and have made daily movement a lifestyle habit. But there are several others who have not. And this post is mainly for them.
Some cultural issues that work against regular exercise:
# It is "not" part of our culture to exercise for well being. A great majority look to it for "weight loss" or to avoid lifestyle diseases. Not many exercise to find the "joy in movement” or to train the body for better function.
# Women over the generations have known to put themselves last and prioritise the needs of their family first. Although this is changing, there are still a lot of unspoken expectations from women in every household. Exercising as part of daily routine ( just as brushing and bathing ) irrespective of life situation ( a sick child or guests at home ) is not something that is wholeheartedly supported in every household.
Some Mindset issues :
# Inability to see the big picture : Our bodies are meant for movement. And training our bodies for better endurance, strength, flexibility & balance can improve the quality of our life immensely.
When we exercise with a short term goal in mind, we may get disheartened when we don't see the results we seek ( as fast as we like ) and may either quit what we started or keep vacillating from one movement practice or one dieting pattern to another.
The truth is - the only bad exercise is the one that did not happen and there is no one diet that works for all.
# Looking at spending money on self care / wellness / fitness as an expenditure: I find that many women spend readily on their children's tuitions and hobby classes but when it comes to spending on their own health & fitness, end up thinking a lot.
The money that you spend on your health & fitness is an “investment” and if you stick to the path, you will reap dividends in the future. You just have to be patient and trust the process.
# "All or nothing" approach : Thinking that one should either go to a gym, be part of an organised fitness program ( although that definitely helps in being consistent ) or do nothing.
Also allowing work to take over and not setting aside a few minutes daily for movement.
# Waiting for the right time to kick-start an exercise routine: Waiting for kids to grow up, or for enough time, enough money etc.
The truth is - the time will never be right. So get started the moment you realize the need for better health & fitness.
Now, coming to addressing some of these issues with practical tips:
1. First, be convinced :
You have to be fully convinced that the time you are taking out to move your body is worth it.
And, how do you go about convincing yourself?
# Seek knowledge :
Take the time to learn about your body. You cannot take good care of something, that you don't know anything about.
Today, we live in an age of information, where ignorance is a choice.
Personally, I have taken tons of courses to learn more - about exercise, exercise physiology, nutrition. I will share some of the courses I have taken on Coursera that you too can take. You can choose to just audit these courses for free.
Nutrition :
https://www.coursera.org/learn/food-and-health
Exercise :
https://www.coursera.org/learn/science-exercise
https://www.coursera.org/learn/weight-management-beyond-balancing-calories
https://www.coursera.org/learn/engineering-health-yoga-physiology
You don't have to be a fitness trainer to take these courses. You just have to be someone interested in learning more about yourself & making a "sustainable" lifestyle change that will improve your life.
# Talk to people who are regular with their fitness regime : Ask them what difference it has made to their life. Maybe that will inspire you and help you see things that you would otherwise not.
I find that when I work on myself physically, the effects snowball to other areas of my life. I feel more confident in the way I show up in the world. I have seen this not only in myself but also in my other friends & clients who are regular with their fitness regime.
2. Understand & learn to manage your environment :
While there are women who have the support of their family to take time out for themselves, there are many others who don't.
So what do you do then ?
A. Try to work around the situation :
Maybe you can take your spouse out for a walk so it becomes an activity you both do together. Explore options to add movement into your life that could double up as family time.
It's easy to compare yourself with others and wish you were doing what they are. But this doesn't always work. Instead, focus on your own lifestyle and try to fit a suitable movement practice, that works for you. This way you will be able to sustain what you start, and make progress in a way that suits your life best.
B. Be assertive : Many a time, the fault is ours, for not speaking our minds and assuming that no one will understand. If possible, speak out your need for that "me time". Like I earlier said, the more convinced you are, the easier it would be for you to convince others.
I have a client who has been training with me for 4 years. She told me how she clearly told her family members that she will travel with them to her native place only if she could spend an hour a day exercising virtually with me. She put this condition down clearly. And her family cooperated. I loved that.
As women, we have got to learn to be assertive of our needs.
3. Stay commited : Block the time to exercise in your calendar and make it sacrosanct. Let your family members know how important this is for you. And who knows, they might get inspired to start their own fitness routine seeing your dedication.
4. Prioritise movement : Not all days are same. Some days can be overwhelming with work or other commitments. Those days just make adjustments to your training plan. Choosing to maybe walk or stretch for 10 minutes, is better than no movement at all.
5. Enjoy the process : Maybe it is wearing a trendy workout outfit that gets you excited and moving, new pair of sneakers, bunch of motivational wall posters in your workout space or a brand new playlist for the walk/ jog. Choose your joy. And make that half - one hour of daily movement practice, something to look forward to.
6. Find a supportive group : Other like minded fitness buddies can be a great source of motivation to stay committed on the path. Seek these people. I always believe in the power of the universe to bring to you what you need. But for that, you need to desire it first.
7. Give yourself a lot of grace : Especially when you are a beginner. Everything seems difficult and intimidating at first. And you are not alone in feeling this way. Things get better with time. The key is to persist.
So give yourself a lot of grace & acceptance in this stage.
Did you resonate with my post ? Which parts did you relate to ? After reading this post, do you feel inspired to make exercise / daily movement a lifestyle habit? Let me know in comments. I would love to hear from you 💕
This is a very thought-provoking writeup! And well written too! Thank you for the perspective and the links.
Interesting article. Conditioning has its impact on our decisions and choices regarding wellness too(?)... a quiet battle within me continues