What is holding you back when it comes to your own health and fitness level? Most women can give a handful of excuses why they aren’t exercising. Why do women struggle with exercise so much?
The article, “When it Comes to Working Out, Men and Women are From Different Planets” Carol Sorgen discusses the primary reason why many women don’t work out.
No matter what kind of workout they prefer, women generally work out less than men, with most citing lack of time as a reason, according to Amy Eyler, PhD, assistant professor of community health at Saint Louis University School of Public Health. Eyler is the editor of a book on physical activity among women, Environmental, Policy and Cultural Factors Related to Physical Activity in a Diverse Sample of Women.
“Women are too busy taking care of others to take care of themselves,” Eyler says in a news release. “Their dedication to family presents substantial time and logistical barriers to being physically active.”
As a woman, I agree that women especially mothers are juggling so many responsibilities that our physical health gets pushed to the wayside. In the article, “75% of Women Want to Exercise but Don’t for Fear of What Others Think” adds further insight to this topic.
Women are failing to exercise for fear of being judged over their appearance and ability at the gym, a new study has found
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They found concerns over appearance, ability and whether they will, as mothers, be judged for putting themselves first, deter women from living healthier lifestyles.
The mom struggle is real! It is sad that fear is the major deterrent to exercise for women. If women knew that their fears were shared with 75% of other women, would women start flocking to the gym and start taking care of their bodies? When women tackle this fear, they can start reaping the benefits of exercise.
We all know that exercise is beneficial in numerous ways. According to a Women’s Day Magazine article, “10 Surprising Benefits of Exercise- Discover other perks-besides weight loss- to working out regularly” gives a comprehensive list of benefits. To summarize the article, here are the ten benefits:
1. Reduces your dementia risk.
2. Decreases your osteoporosis risk.
3. Improves your sex life.
4. Prevents muscle loss.
5. Improves digestion.
6. Reduces stress, depression and anxiety.
7. Enhances mental performance and work productivity.
8. Reduces cancer risk.
9. Helps reduce stroke severity.
10. Improves your skin.
Women, we need to stop living in fear and start taking care of ourselves. How will our to-do list ever happen if our health is suffering?
If you don’t know where to start, try a women’s fitness gym. It is so much easier to put away fear when you are in the midst of women who all have the same fears.
Start getting connected to other women who will help you get healthy and fit so you can take care of all of your responsibilities effectively without burn out.