“It was the beginning of the first lockdown and I had thought about doing it before but always had work or other things and just convinced myself not to do it. But I thought, ‘well it’s either now or never, I have all the time in the world.’”
From actors in magazines to 80s fitness gurus in Lycra, the media has been forever saturated with people telling us how to live and claiming to help us look perfect and feel incredible.
Of course, most of the fad diets and extreme workouts the media recommends are only a short-term answer to superficial problems, and can leave us feeling even less motivated than before. Instead, a practical, healthy attitude to fitness can have many incredible mental health benefits, regardless of physical changes.
Tegen Treloar, 19, from Coverack Bridges, has embarked on a fitness journey over the past year, assisted by her brother, Owen Treloar, a fitness instructor. She has experienced many benefits, some surprising from a more balanced lifestyle.
“I usually do an hour workout a day, but I’ll only do that four times a week, or if I’m busy, I’ll cut it down and just kind of adapt to whatever I’m doing at the time.”
Taking breaks from exercising can be just as important as the exercise itself. For example, a rest may be necessary if you are: stressed, busy, sleep deprived or unwell. Additionally, it’s important to take a break if your body is significantly aching from a previous workout, as this is a sign of your muscular fibres repairing to allow for future growth.
As suggested by the centuries old Latin phrase, ‘mens sana in corpore sano’ (a rational mind in a healthy body), physical and mental health are an intertwined system and an increase in physical fitness can significantly benefit the mind.
“I have a lot more self-confidence and I don’t feel as insecure or anxious when I’m out now. And as well, your self-image just improves, because even before I lost weight, I started to see myself better because I could lift heavier. If I was doing stuff that made me feel strong, I would kind of see myself as being strong.”
Exercise doesn’t need to be strenuous to yield positive mental benefits. A brisk, ten minute walk immediately increases energy, mental alertness and positive mood. For long-term effects on our overall mood, studies show that half an hour of low-intensity aerobic exercise (including walking, dancing, trampolining, hula hooping or anything else that gets you moving), three to five days a week is enough.
Tegen also set up an Instagram account as a journal of her fitness journey, where she tracks both her physical and mental progress.
“I used to watch loads of progress videos or look at influencers’ Instagram pages and that would really help with getting me to do stuff. But now … I use myself as my own motivation, rather than other people because it’s so hard in the fitness industry to see stuff that’s actually healthy and not all about looks.”
“As well, I prefer my own company now, whereas before, I would kind of rely on other people. I’m someone who always wants to be doing something, so I’d always have to rely on people, but now if things happen where I can’t meet someone, I’m a lot more comfortable being by myself because I can find stuff to do.”
“I have a lot more energy and a more positive outlook on things because I’ve set goals and when I make those goals, then I can see myself setting other goals and pushing myself.”
Tegen’s brother, Owen Treloar, a qualified fitness instructor for four years, also noted the effect of fitness on people’s attitudes.
“It’s about people seeing stuff as a challenge to overcome, rather than a wall that they can’t get over in any aspect of life. People are just more positive about challenges every day, rather than letting it get them down.”
As for food, Tegen emphasised the importance of fuelling the body.
“I usually try to eat nutritious food or food that fuels my body. So say if I ate a brownie or something, I wouldn’t include that in my daily intake because it’s not giving me much nutrition. I always make sure I feel fuelled. If at the end of the day I don’t feel very energised then I’ll eat more. It’s kind of like reading your body and understanding what you need and what you don’t.”
Owen suggested that anyone looking to improve their fitness should: “Just remember that everyone has to start at ground level and work their way up. People aren’t born knowing how to run or lift or whatever they want to go into. You can use sites to research and get information, but there’s a lot of misinformation so definitely consult with someone who knows what they’re talking about. Don’t feel useless or self-conscious about not knowing what you’re doing, and definitely just start somewhere and then you get to know your body, how it works and what exercises you like.”
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