The benefits of fitness are helping millions of women, and those who identify as women, improve our mental and physical health, and tackle the complex tasks and challenges we face in our daily lives.
There’s no place like the gym when it comes to trying new things and building self-confidence. Walking into a fitness class or the weight room knowing you can handle the challenge translates to every other aspect of your life.
Lifting heavy weights is a great way to build confidence and become stronger, both physically and mentally. Mixed martial arts in a BODYCOMBAT class or throwing punches in a REGYMEN Box class can make anyone feel powerful and capable. Mastering expert poses in a hot yoga class can help you focus, de-stress and feel accomplished.
The benefits of regular exercise are countless, and research is finally focusing on how these benefits apply to women. In the past, women’s heart health was often overlooked, but we now know that heart disease is the number one cause of death for Canadian women older than 55. Research also shows inactive women are twice as likely to develop heart disease than those who exercise regularly.
We hear a lot about the effects of osteoporosis on women as we age. Staying active by walking, running, swimming or other cardio exercise, with regular functional strength training is the best way to build bone density to help protect yourself from osteoporosis later in life.
More women are investing in fitness as their avenue to a long and full life, free of limitations.
While there are many options for engaging in fitness at home, one major benefit of a gym or group fitness classes is social connection to a community of positive, like-minded people.
A 2021 survey found that six in 10 people in Canada are feeling lonelier since the start of the pandemic. That same survey highlighted the importance of daily socialization as a form of self-care.
Building relationships as an adult can be difficult, but fitness makes it simple. The gym can become part of your support system with a community of like-minded women focused on self-improvement.
Fitness shouldn’t be another thing on your to-do list, it should be a break from all your responsibilities.
This may not surprise you…but women often juggle many responsibilities and demands. Whether it’s caring for children and older parents, working a full-time job, going to school and chores at home, it sometimes feels like there’s not time for fitness or self-care. In fact, women in Canada spend an average of 2.5 hours more per day on unpaid labour than our male counterparts. This type of multi-tasking is a recipe for stress and exhaustion.
Making time to work out improves mental health and fortitude, allowing you to manage stress more efficiently. For women specifically, fitness is also highly effective at regulating hormones, preventing mood swings, and promoting emotional balance.
Invest in yourself this International Women’s Day, and build the strength and confidence you need #BreaktheBias. Together we can remove limitations and defy expectations on International Women’s Day and beyond.