A reflection by Accredited Exercise Physiologist, Matt Crear.
This week (May 23rd – 29th) is Exercise Right Week. It’s a week in which we take a step back to celebrate everything that is exercise. It’s also a celebration and reflection of the incredible work that our profession, Exercise Physiology, does on a daily basis. For every success story that is shared by our peers, we hope that it starts or reignites someone else’s journey. A journey to being physically and mentally healthy.
Exercise Right explores the theme of ‘why we do it’. A concept which elaborates on six common themes that should motivate us to exercise. Each theme expresses a feeling or a benefit of exercise, and strives to change the mindset that exercise is not only ‘to lose weight or look good’. In this article, I explore these six themes and further evaluate them from my personal and professional experiences working in the industry.
Foremost, exercise to improve your mood. Recently, the mental health benefits of exercise have been a talking point for many. We know that exercise improves our mental state through hormonal changes in the body, but it also does much more. Exercise has proven to improve focus and cognitive performance, memory, sleep quality, and can help refine nutritional intake. These components work together to decrease the mental strain of daily life and help manage our mental health.
The second topic is to heal your heart. Heart health is Australia’s leading cause of death. A simple measure you can do to help prevent heart health issues is to be physically active. Studies show that people who live a sedentary lifestyle are at a significantly higher risk of developing heart disease. It’s fair to say that exercise doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to looking after your ticker.
Then we brace your body. Everyone can exercise, regardless of their age, beliefs, history, financial status, or body shape. Some common ways to stay active include social media channels, watching YouTube, walking, using park equipment, joining group sessions or working with an exercise physiologist. There is always a way to incorporate exercise into your life. If this is something you struggle with, or you think you would benefit from professional guidance, I can highly recommend seeking an exercise physiologist to help.
The fourth theme is to boost your brain. This topic applies to the entire life spectrum. Exercise has been shown to improve brain development in youths, improve cognitive function in adults, and deter the onset of dementia in elderly populations. As juniors, we are generally pretty active, however as we enter our 20s life starts to get in the way and exercise can take a back seat. It’s in these years that we need to maintain a healthy physical activity routine to keep our brain sharp.
The second last topic is to gather your group. This is a celebration of the wonderful social aspects that exercise can bring. It encourages new and old friends to come together to participate in some form of activity. Examples include walking, rock climbing, playing golf or going for a run. Having a social support system can increase your exercise engagement and make those difficult days a little easier.
The last topic of this year’s Exercise Right Week is to spoil yourself. Do it for you. Take the time to throw in your AirPods and get out of the house or away from work. Start those pilates sessions you have been looking at for six months, your mind and your body will love it.
These six themes unpack the majority of the reasons why you should exercise, but of course, they can be dependent on many factors. Do you feel that you need extra support? Or would you like to chat to someone about starting your exercise journey? An exercise physiologist might be the best person to help you.
If you’d like to book in to see one of our exercise physiologists, give us a call today on 07 3891 2000 or you can book an appointment online here: https://qsmc.net.au/onlinebooking/
For more information about Exercise Right Week (May 23rd – May 29th), head to: https://exerciseright.com.au/exercise-right-week-2022/
