What does it mean to rediscover the joy in movement?
When we were young, and before the idea of calorie counting was introduced to us, we only moved for fun. Whereas now we are older the idea of going to the gym for hours on end for several days a week is often thought of as being the ‘ideal’ way of keeping active and ‘achieving the perfect body’. However this is not the way we should be thinking.
Take a few moments think about what activity (or activities) you really enjoy taking part in (e.g. tennis, rock climbing, swimming, dancing, gardening, riding your bike, walking – to name a few). These activities can help you to be active and maintain your health just as much as a trip to the gym can and you will enjoy yourself while you do them.
Why is it important to have fun while being active?
If you are having fun while moving you are more likely to do it again and take part in it more often, overall it will feel less like a chore.
Being active is one of the 5 Ways to Wellbeing and has been shown that when you take part in it on a regular basis it can improve your overall wellbeing. Want to know more about the 5 Ways to Wellbeing, what they are and how you can incorporate them into your everyday life to improve your wellbeing? Click here for more details.
Not only can being active help your wellbeing but it can also help you to reach your health goals by improving your sleep, cardiovascular endurance, moods and more. Find out more about health goals here.
If you have thought that going to the gym is the best way for you to be active and help you to reach your health goals but every time you go you dread going along and do not enjoy your time there at all then maybe it’s time to try something new to find the activity that you have fun doing.
Remember that by being active your goal should be to improve your overall health, your relationship with your body and to have fun and not to lose weight or meet some expectation you feel you have to meet following the influence of the things you see and hear.
If you need to talk to anyone about how you are feeling whether it is about body image or any other thoughts you are having you can contact some organisations who are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Both of the services below are confidential and free to contact.
If you are under 19 you can contact Childline over the phone (on: 08001111) and online to speak with a counsellor about how you are feeling.
If you are over 19 you can contact The Samaritans over the phone (on: 116123) or via email.
If we become obsessed with our body image this can sometimes affect our mental health and our relationship with food which can lead to eating problems or eating disorders.
Beat Eating Disorders provides helplines for adults and young people and offers support and information about eating disorders (please note that you do not need to have a diagnosis of an eating disorder to contact Beat):
Adult Helpline: 0808 801 0677
Studentline: 0808 801 0811
Youthline: 0808 801 0711
Open 365 days a year from 12pm – 8pm during the week, and 4pm – 8pm on weekends and bank holidays.
Beat also provide 1-1 online support via web chat. This is accessible by clicking here and is available; Monday – Friday: 12:00 – 20:00 and Saturday – Sunday: 16:00 – 20:00 BST
