Up & at it: fitting in fitness
March 2008 - Erin Isings

Many women are motivated to get in shape after the long, cold winter because the arrival of bikini season means they can’t hide those winter pounds under a bulky sweater. But fitness is important for overall physical, mental and emotional health; and let’s not forget the social aspect.

According to the Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, adults should perform 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity per day. That doesn’t necessarily mean it has to be done all at once – 10 minutes at a time is all it takes.

Benefits of exercise
“Everyone emphasizes the physical (benefits), but not enough time gets devoted to the mental, emotional and social sides of it, and I think they’re equally important,” says Karen Danylchuk, associate professor in the School of Kinesiology at The University of Western Ontario. “Obviously we feel so much better physically after we’ve exercised, but from the standpoint of your mental health, which one might argue is just as important, I think there are positive results from exercise for one’s mental health as well.”

With our busy modern lives, and the accompanying work and home stresses, exercise provides a much-needed breather for many of us. Danylchuk says that during exercise, “they’re getting their mind focused on what they’re actually doing at the time, which provides a nice break from the other things that are going on in their lives. I think the opportunity to get out and exercise really provides that change in focus which can be definitely positive all the way around.”

Getting started
Like with any project, starting a new fitness regimen requires setting goals. And in order to avoid setting yourself up for failure, these need to be realistic goals.

“If (the goals) aren’t (realistic), they’re going to become a statistic. As the research has pointed out for decades, so many people start an exercise program in January and at the end of January it has really dropped off. So I think it’s important that they’re measurable, realistic, attainable goals,” says Danylchuk. “And equally important to the goal-setting aspect is one has to choose something that is enjoyable. Again, if you don’t enjoy what you’re doing and it’s drudgery, research has demonstrated that people just won’t continue.”

There’s always a reason not to do something, but Danylchuk emphasizes it’s important to work within what’s realistic for your own circumstances, be it time constraints due to taking care of children, physical capabilities, or financial resources. Exercise doesn’t have to be a two-hour, full-blown workout with cardio, weights, and stretching. It can be going for a walk, a bike ride, or jog – things that don’t have a financial cost attached to them.

But go easy on yourself! “People who are new to an exercise routine sometimes have a tendency to go too hard too quickly. This can lead to discouragement, injury, and perhaps dropout,” says Danylchuk.

And don’t feel demoralized if your routine is interrupted. “People should not be discouraged if they temporarily fall off their regimen or goal due to unforeseen circumstances. This is all part of being realistic,” she says. So, the important thing is to get back into your fitness routine to make it a way of life.

Staying with it
Choosing to incorporate fitness into your life requires changing your mindset. But if you’re not in the habit of exercising, where should you start?

“I think what they’ve got to think and give some thought to is, ‘How can I make my life a healthier one?’ And there are certain things we know we can’t control and the ones we can control and the things that we obviously have no control over, be it environmental things like air quality or even food additives,” says Danylchuk.

But existing factors beyond your control doesn’t mean that you’re powerless when it comes to your health. “We can control what we do physically through exercise and through diet. It’s such a fine balance and obviously if we take too much in, and don’t put out (via exercise), that leads to all sorts of negative problems that can definitely be health-related.”

Danylchuk believes the most important factor in exercise is to stick with it. “I’m more the advocate of healthy eating habits and exercise. If you’ve got that good balance, you can eliminate a lot of the problems that people are faced with.”

She says that this begins with a change in the mindset by people thinking: “I’m going to make this a part of my lifestyle. I eat every day, I need to sleep, and how about I need to exercise?” Exercise is probably the easiest thing to put at the bottom of the priorities list because people have to eat and have to sleep or else they can’t function. However, they can certainly get along without exercise, but it will catch up with them, explains Danylchuk.

Statistics show that 98 per cent of people who attend sporting events as spectators go with a friend. The fun of sport socialization as spectators translates into the fun of participating in exercise with friends, explains Danylchuk. “You can get out and exercise with someone else, so it provides the opportunity to have some fun with some friends, and get to know new people. That’s all part of the enjoyment and social facilitation aspect of it.”

“Golf is a great form of exercise, especially for some of the more mature women who don’t get a lot of exercise. It’s a great way to get out for a walk and get some fresh air and swing the golf clubs,” says Darren Allison, co-owner of Bob Martin’s Golf & Fashions.
“You don’t need to be very strong to hit the ball a long way. It certainly helps to generate club speed, and the stronger you are the faster you can swing the club.”

Regardless of your score on the green, walking 18 holes is the equivalent of more than four miles, says Allison.

In addition to services such as custom fitting and repair of clubs, and an indoor and outdoor practice centre, the store accepts trade-ins and sells pre-owned clubs so you can get started. Their 8,000 square foot warehouse in London is unveiling a front section this spring that will be devoted entirely to ladies’ fashion and equipment.

Amanda Somerville, of London Source for Sports, says she credits the social aspect of sports as the reason so many women are able to stick with a fitness regimen, be it soccer or hockey.

“In the spring it’s easy (to begin a fitness program) because it’s nice out and everyone wants to be outside. But getting in shape is a lifestyle thing,” she explains. “Yes, it’s physical activity, but it’s more of a huge social thing. You get up to go to soccer on Sunday morning and then you go for lunch after. You end up becoming friends with everyone on your team and creating all these friendships and relationships out of these recreational sports. From that, it’s great because it motivates you to go to practice or to go to games, which keeps you active. I just think it’s an endless cycle of positive things building on one another.”

Really, let’s face it: What could be more fun than a guilt-free afternoon away from the kids with a couple of girlfriends?