Sport England, a UK government agency, found that 75% of women want to participate in sport and exercise but are afraid to get involved. Widespread hesitation stems from “fear of judgement” and “worries about being judged for being the wrong size, not fit enough and not skilled enough.”

This is really upsetting news because the Women’s Sport Foundation has suggested that sport and exercise has a significant and positive impact on women’s physical and mental health. Women who have participated in sports are less likely to experience an early pregnancy and to be victims of domestic abuse. They also tend to have higher levels of self-esteem and confidence. Not to mention the plethora of other benefits.  

It’s imperative that as mature women, we decide to cast aside feelings of insecurity in order to live life to the fullest. We must rise to the occasion and start believing we can. Once we embrace movement and our bodies, future generations of women will feel the liberty and empowerment to do the same.

A lot of what helps us get involved in sports and exercise is finding something that’s fun. I have recently been honored with the opportunity to write a guest post for Fit Mommy Diaries, a blog that has roughly 2 million sets of mommy eyes on it every month. Whoa, mama – literally! My guest post implores women to find what sport or exercise works best for them:

“Keep trying out classes until you find one that you love! Also, try not to doubt your ability to get into the shape you want just because you found out that training for a half marathon isn’t your mojo. Try something else! There are plenty of exercises, classes, races, groups, and more to get involved with. Think of it like dating – you don’t have to settle for the guy who asked you out on your first date. Unless it’s life-long love, why would you?! First dates can be uncomfortable, stressful, and awkward. *Or am I the only one who experienced this?* Trying out new exercise routines can feel the same.”

To discover more about how to find a routine that is fun and how to balance it out with what your body needs, feel free to check out: http://bit.ly/1y8oODm. Sia, the fit mommy behind the blog, is a shining example of a woman who is brave and willing to be up close and personal in order to inspire other women. Now, we’re not all going to have Sia’s impressive toned abs, nor do we all need to share what we might prefer to keep personal, but we must, must, must believe we can.

Check out this 90 second video by Sport England that is rapidly spreading across the web…ironically, it’s titled “This Girl Can.” How fitting. It will make you feel like getting up from your desk or chair to do a victory dance. This is what real women look like when they work out. It’s awesome. 

Yours in health and wellness,

Maggie

References:

http://fitmommydiaries.blogspot.com/2015/01/featuring-guest-blogger-fellow-personal.html

https://www.sportengland.org/our-work/national-work/this-girl-can/

http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/