OUR PERCEPTION OF what it means to be fit and healthy has taken on an obsessive and extreme form.
Today’s fitness culture paints exercise as an all or nothing, no pain no gain ritual and as a result walking, bike rides, zumba or low intensity methods are belittled and discredited as inadequate, lazy and dull.
The truth of the matter is, today’s fitness culture is dominated by an obsession with abs, disordered eating, exercise addictions and emotional imbalances.
Misguided motives founded in aesthetics and hollow gestures claiming balanced and moderate approaches to fitness and body positivity have duped a community of health and fitness enthusiasts for far too long.
The #FitFam and growing community of online coaches are regularly praised for their motivational and inspirational approach to fitness, but it’s time to look beyond the abs and explore the relationships they are promoting to exercise instead.
Over the last few years I have worked hard to release myself of any negative feelings I associated with exercise. To say that I have learned a lot along the way — about myself, my environment and the people around me — is an understatement.
If you are training or exercising for a goal, any goal, there will be occasions when pushing yourself is a normal part of the plan. Even the healthiest and fittest person among us will have a miserable session in the gym.
However, people with a healthy relationship with exercise know where to find the middle ground between feelings of duty and desire.
Here are five habits I believe you will find in people who have a healthy relationship to exercise.
1. You prioritise the mental benefits
The fitness culture of today abuses the gym for its appearance, altering side effects. Our passion for fitness has dissolved into an obsession with leanness and the gatekeepers — personal trainers, gym instructors, social media influencers — have empowered a nation to become disconnected from the greatest gifts our fitness can give us; health, vitality, longevity and confidence.
Exercise is one of the most powerful tools you can use to increase your happiness, energy levels and well-being. Exercise makes you less likely to get sick, helps you sleep better at night and will boost your confidence and self esteem. A person with a good relationship to exercise is motivated by the mental benefits and not the anxiety, stress or suffering that may result if their strict and impossibly high standards aren’t met.
2. You can go with the flow
Does straying from your exercise routine cause you to get upset?
Sometimes due to travelling, sickness or busy schedules other appointments may bump your exercise commitments. If you’re one of the healthy ones, you know that’s ok. A person with a good relationship to exercise is relaxed and can accept to a situation, rather than trying to alter or control it. Remember, fitness is defined or measured by your ability to PERFORM certain tasks. If you are unable to follow your exercise plan today, instead of focusing on what you think you are missing out on, look to all the other ways you were active today.
3. You don’t exercise to eat, punish or manage
A person with a healthy relationship to exercise doesn’t exercise to eat, or eat to exercise. They certainly don’t do “punishment cardio”. Approaching exercise in an anxious, fearful, self-punitive or addictive way, or constantly feeling a need to push yourself past your limits in order to feel you have done enough does not embody a healthy relationship to exercise.
Why? Because the attitude and beliefs you create around exercise are causing longer-term damage to your health and well-being, even if they are alleviating your short-term guilt.
Many of us who make the effort to exercise regularly will experience some level of stress, obligation or inconvenience but I believe that the line that splits a healthy and unhealthy relationship isn’t as blurred as it used to be.
4. You can shake things up
A healthy relationship to exercise is one that is flexible and compatible with your lifestyle, not rigid, restrictive or isolating. A person who has good relationship is comfortable and open to a wide variety of exercise methods and is not dismissive of activities that do not meet the intensity, speed or duration they have become accustomed to.
5. You don’t beat yourself up
Exercise is something that many of us humans have a love/hate relationship with. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the uplifting feeling training provides and it’s OK to feel good for fulfilling that desire.
However, beating yourself up after missing a gym session, punishing yourself by exercising more later or depriving yourself of food to balance the calorie and weight loss equation is unhealthy, both mentally and physically.
Remember, your senses of identity and worth are not determined by your ability or commitment to exercise. If you cannot balance your thoughts about exercise with other parts of your life, I believe you would benefit greatly from looking at your beliefs and motivations around exercise first.
The World Health Organisation defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. Hollow gestures and empty promises aside, it is time that we demand a higher standard of others (and ourselves) and seek inspiration and motivation in balance, moderation and sustainability.
Sarah Doyle is a life coach, motivational speaker, positive body powerlifter and host of Better Life Project TV. For more information, follow her on Facebook, Instagram or check out Sarah’s website here.
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Fair play munster that’s a great point in the end
A great, but irrelevant point
We’ll see if its irrelevant in Jan.
It means that Munster need a win instead of a bonus point win against Saracens. Plus a bonus point win against Sale. Plus Saracens get nothing from Claremont. Fabulous.
So not irrelevant then?
Most Munsterish ending ever.
Great bonus point, but hard not to look at the early dominance and missed tries and not think of what might have been….
Serious problems with scrums with Munster and Leinster. Couple of injuries and we are both screwed everythime.
Management in both provinces seems to be way off. Ireland had a terrible run of injuries and still managed both performances and results. The IRFU have their work cut out for them.
Scrummaging in Ireland has forever been average to poor.
Couldn’t agree more. It was too early for Foley to be given such a big job. He has to go.
A step too far today, big ask to get a victory next round but that bonus point is the difference between needing a bonus point win or just a win and give Saracens nothing and take 5 off sale last round.
I don’t know why but I just find Keatley seems to show more consistency and nerve in his kicking playing away from home… Sale game, marseille last year and nailed all of them today.. Great bottle shown in the end there. That point will be absolutely crucial!
Couldn’t agree more, I’ve often defended Keatley and when I do I always reference his performances against the big teams away where he really seems to flourish. Just wish he could do it on a consistent basis and he could really develop into a top player.
Had a good game today, made some good line breaks and nerves of steel at the end to nail that kick.
Just not good enough.
It would appear the RFU and French paymasters will get what they want with a French/Anglo duopoly this year barring a massive turnaround. Praying that any of the three provinces make it through. Rugby has taken a step towards soccer monotony with the largest wage bill winning out 99% of the time.
The Sooper Dooper Cup indeed.
Stereotype much?
Footballs Champions League has yet to be retained by any team , Man City the team with the highest wage bill hasn’t come within an asses roar of winning it.
Conway and Jones not good enough. JJ showed what he can do. Better not lose him.
Another defeat. Long trip home for the thousands of disappointed Munster fans. To the brave and faithful nothing is impossible – except beating Clermont either home or away.
We have beaten Clermont at home. TWICE. Get your facts right, Robson.
Robson, Munster lost away to a top class European side a week ago we lost to a average English one.
As a Leinster fan I’d be a little happier in Munster shoes than ours at the minute.
Pity they weren’t playing a piss poor bayonne team in a nothing competition hey knobson. Suppose ur alter ego paul sheehan will be on here supporting you in the minute.
Well done Munster got a point out of nothing injuries really hurt them today!
Well robsonkeane at least the supporters in France are true sporting fans your just a little bitter limerick man who clams to be a Connacth ” fan ” yet I doubt you have ever been to a Connacth game.
You get your rocks off trolling every Munster story with your fellow deluded Waterford buddy.
Eamonn no need drag Connacth into it. Robson is from limerick he’s a Munster man born and breed .
He’s just a bitter little troll
Robson, your clearly not enough into rugby to know the fact that Munster have beaten Clermont at home before,your also clearly a dope who gets his kicks by showing the world just how much of a dope you are…kinda pity you really.
Chris, I think Foley and Matt O Connor seem to have similar game plan that just does not work with any team with a bit of running ability and a reasonably good set piece.
Robson, go play with the traffic.
That’s a good lad
Your from limerick Robson that’s well know on here !
And ya I’ll be at the game I live in Galway. Ya your such a die hard Connacth fan you had time a few weeks ago too troll a Munster thread on here while Munster and Connacth had games on at the same time .
You spoofer robsonkeane!
A Munster fan from Connacht? Go and support your local team pal. I’ll meet you in Oranmore some night in my local.
I live and work in Galway I’m 100% Munster kid.
Next time I’m in keans or the brewery I’ll look out for the lad on his iPhone with the Connacth shirt and limerick accent
Robson is a United fan.
Read the United V Liverpool thread. He is a United fan.
Robson, since when is Manchester United your local team ? Ya tool.
Munster were awful.. Living on past glories for far to long .. No penetration whatsoever.
Just not good enough, flaws were exposed last week and the same mistakes were present again.today. Foley has to go. Great player in his day but he hasn’t got a f***** clue about the management side of the game.
What do you expect when he hired mick o Driscoll as the skills coach !
Is being able to block a jacks considered to be a skill now?????
Why the red thumbs? Either justify the level of performance today with a comment or f**[ off.
Lets put it this way. Do people think Munster have progressed or regressed since last season ?
Ya same mistakes repeat but not a many as last week.
The players out injured is a big problem bar Copland there was no one to bring on.
But Munster are not at the level of the French super teams money talks in the top14 .
Munster and can give them a scare when there at there best but until Irish teams have the funds to bring in top player’s it’s going to be hard going.
it’s way too early to be calling for Foleys head .
Im not calling for his head. I believe he has to be given time. And as you said, trying to compete with these mega rich French clubs is practically impossible. I simply asked the question to gauge opinion.
Keatley was our hero and villain today, his kicking from hand in the first half put us under huge pressure allowing the opposition to run back at us. No more so than before half time that kick should have been in the stand instead quick line out and boom nail in coffin time. Some balls to get the last one though!
I’m not giving up on Munster yet. Great bonus point today against the potential champions. Beat Sarries away and it’s all down to last home game against Sale where we need 4 tries. Read your history books. It’s not impossible.
No need to be ratty, Sean Pol O’Finn. Take your defeat and deal with it. I’m Connacht born and bred. I’ll see you at the match in a few weeks – that’s if you actually go to games like me. Ye will still get out of this group. Saracens are not up to much.
Ah yes, those well known pauper underdogs Real Madrid who have the 2nd highest wage bill in football won it this year Eamon, my bad.
The way pro Football is run is clearly a socialists wet dream that rugby should aspire to.
Come on now lads – you all know more than this. It’s away to Saracens next, so that bonus point was irrelevant. And you all know that you know that. Great game nonetheless.
Its true. Munster have absolutely no history of going to England and winning against the odds…..
Clermont very, very sloppy in both games in terms of letting Munster off the hook. They probably didn’t deserve anything from the game in Thomond, definitely didn’t deserve anything from this game, but Clermont go miles in front, chasing a bonus point win and give Munster a very cheap 10 points.
That losing bonus point could be the difference at the end of the groups. If they didn’t get it they were out, but now still very doable. Beat Saracens away (who are in an awful run of form) and hammer a disinterested Sale at home and I reckon they’re through.
Much better level of rugby in Clermont then the game last night in Lansdowne Rd.
Great result for Connacht yesterday. Please God they can keep the performances coming.