Photo credit: This Girl Can
This Girl Can’s latest campaign to inspire women and girls to get physically active is all about being real about exercise. As I mentioned in my last blog post, if you really want to enhance your fitness level, get stronger, or tone up, it’s all about keeping the training regular. And there are so many ways to fit being physically active into our day to day lives on a regular basis.
In the words of This Girl Can: Whether you’re cycling to work, literally running the school run, or getting muddy with your pooch in the park, we’re celebrating all the amazing ways you fit exercise into your lives… There’s no right way to get active – if it gets your heart rate up it counts. And we want more women to find what’s right for them.
It’s time #FitGotReal
If you’re in need of some motivational words from some of the awesome women I know who do all kinds of exercise, read on!
When I asked questions like what inspired them to start exercising, what motivates them to keep at it, and how do they stay focused, here’s what they had to say:
Vix: My friend split up with her boyfriend and asked me to come to a trial with her to Global Taekwondo International – GTI – we did 4 weeks. She decided it wasn’t for her & I’ve been going ever since, I love it.x
Una: I started doing Tai Chi in my 20s on and off and then Qi Gong on and off over the years. It has made a huge difference to my health and learning the breathing techniques meant I no longer have asthma (Combined with a dietary change – no dairy etc) I have an inhaler, just in case and haven’t used it for years.
Vickie: The desire to get through a school quarter without drugs and alcohol got me into yoga. It helped me reduce anxiety and stress.
Paige: My body went through quite a lot at a young age, including an accident at 16 where I nearly had to have my leg amputated. I was told I wouldn’t be able to run or kneel (you’ll be surprised how much you use kneeling day to day when you can’t! No kinky references implied!). I had to learn to walk again, swim again, ride a bike again. I can now run and kneel. I also got sick at 21 and unfortunately now I’m unwell again which has disrupted my gym routine. Going between watching your body fade away in front of you, and then engaging in activity that builds it up again has been really empowering for me. I don’t do anything mega – just stretch, cardio, use weights, s couple of times a week. But the difference it makes in my mood/physicality is incredible. I see my body as the vessel that carries me through life & feel so lucky to have full mobility when I’m healthy.
Carolyn: I’ve fallen out of my gym routine but walk 1-2 miles per day. Great way to start and end the day and mood booster.
Georgia: If you’re having a bad day or going through a tough time, working out can be an hour of your day where you can forget about it all and do something positive for yourself.
Shelly: Geri Halliwell inspired me to start Yoga at the tender age of 16! I’d always been fascinated with Indian Culture and after purchasing Geri’s VHS it literally became my saving grace….and still is.
Lisa: Well, I’m a big time walker-explorer + hiker. It eases my stress, clears my mind (especially in nature), + gets me right sorted. xo
Sian: I leave for my first ever yoga retreat in Cambodia on Thursday! I’ll let you know if it’s inspires me to move more!
Lizzie: I LOVE exercise. It all started with PE teachers at school as a haven from teenage angst and a place to clear my head and I hope it will never end. I get my sense of self from sweating and panting for sport, and when sweating and panting in a team I am one with the team. When done well (inclusively and fun, not necessarily to a high ‘standard’), sport can fill people up with a confidence and feeling of life that I havn’t ever found elsewhere. I currently lead 2 girls football clubs and it fills us all with joy. There you go, that’s one woman’s view of exercise and sport. You’re a right inspiration Fi, keep it up please. Love X
Emma: I exercise because I like the feeling you get afterwards. It makes you feel more motivated, not just in fitness, but in everyday life.
Lucy: I’ve made loads of friends through sport. It’s a huge part of my life. I get stressed really easily. And when I exercise or play sport I don’t have time to really think about that stuff.
Thank you all of you. Keep it up! And if you’ve been inspired by this blogpost, why not get involved by sharing your stories with the hashtag #fitgotreal?!
Fiona Ledgard Personal Trainer 