A young woman, who seemed slightly on the heavier side, approached me on the walking track at the Coimbatore-Race Course. She asked for tips on health management and weight reduction, even suggesting that I create a group to help with these goals. This encounter inspired me to share my thoughts in this blog.
Creating awareness among women about the importance of staying physically fit is the first step towards building a healthier India. In my opinion, healthy women are the cornerstone of healthy societies. Health and fitness are two sides of the same coin, both essential for living a healthy and happy life.
While women excel in many areas, taking care of their health is often not one of them. The reality is that women are more likely than men to neglect preventive health care. My conversations with women reveal that fitness is one of their top wellness challenges. But why is that?
Following are the commonly cited reasons by women as barriers to exercise:
- Women are too busy taking care of others to focus on themselves. Their dedication to family creates significant time and logistical barriers to being physically active. Many women juggle household responsibilities and jobs, leaving little time for their health or self-care.
- They may not have access to resources such as parks and gyms, and they often lack motivation and confidence to exercise.
- Reasons for weight gain may be attributed to the inheritance of genetic predisposition or caesarean sections undergone by them.
- Lack of energy is yet another factor as fatigue is a by-product of a tiring lifestyle and women are often tired.
- Women with low incomes are less likely to exercise regularly. They do not realize that not all exercises require expensive clothes or a gym membership. One of the most beneficial forms of exercise is free – brisk walking!
- Mindset is yet another factor, as women feel that going outside for a walk or to hit the gym is not necessary for them.
- Breaking the laziness barrier is the main hurdle for most people irrespective of gender.
- Women feel that they are constantly being looked at by others when walking in public. They are reluctant and shy to wear jogging suits and walk with their cellulite jiggling appearance, as they feel that they will be laughed at. This is true especially among South Indian women as cultural factors play a major role in this part of India. The fear of judgement is greater than the women’s self-confidence.
- Women who believe that child-rearing and domestic chores are ‘women’s work’ are less likely to take time to exercise – perhaps they feel guilty taking time out for themselves. Sexism proves to be one of the barriers.
- Some others think that to be useful, exercise must be painful, sweaty and gruelling, which of course is not true.
How Can Women Improve Their Health?
Women, as health managers or promoters within their families, have a significant role in influencing overall family health. It’s time for women to prioritize their well-being and adopt a healthy lifestyle.
- Lose weight if you are overweight, start with just 15 minutes of walking a day.
- Eat a balanced diet. Cook healthy meals for yourself and your family instead of relying on takeout or processed foods.
- Eat the right food in correct proportions at the right time as women have the habit of delaying their meal timings owing to the pressure of work.
- Create time for walking as walking is considered the king of exercises. It offers numerous benefits without risking injury or stress on the body.
- Regular Brisk Walking can help you maintain a healthy weight. It prevents and/or manages various medical conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
- Find a walking partner if you are not motivated to walk alone. For instance, your husband, parents, friends, relatives or your children. You can even join a local walking group.
Delaying simple aerobic exercise can lead to obesity and various health issues. Without proper awareness, women may feel lost when it comes to maintaining their health. By overcoming initial reluctance, women can adopt a balanced approach to fitness, directly influencing the well-being of their families. Women are the backbone of India, and their health is crucial to the nation’s well-being.
We hope this article encourages you to prioritize your health. If it did, share your thoughts in the comments below! For more tips on fitness and nutrition, explore our Healthy Reads. Ready to take charge of your health? Get personalized guidance from GOQii’s health experts by subscribing here.
#BeTheForce for a healthier you!
The other day one of my patients who is in her 60s fell while walking and she got a hip fracture. When I asked what the reason for your fracture was? She said it’s my old age. I asked if you would have fallen like this 30 years back, would you have got a fracture? She said No.
Should women workout during their menstrual cycle? It’s a question asked by most women who have either started working out, have been in sports or trekking, etc. How can a woman or girl stop working out for a span of 4-6 days, especially the ones who are active? There could be varied opinions on the same.
Having said this, the intensity of workouts should not be very high, it should be low to moderate. Before starting off, you may not feel like doing so but, as you start with a light warm-up such as a slow walk, followed by some stretching, it will make you feel better and thus, take the workout forward slowly and steadily. In fact, light stretching will even help you get rid of congestion in the pelvic area.
