Articles
Physical Activity
14/12/07 11:35
Healthy Physical Activity
Approaching phsyical activity with a healthy perspective that is appropriate for your current health, can aid in recovery from eating disorders and improve body acceptance. The human body was designed for motion and will do what you ask or train it to do. However, as with all things in life, exercise must be approached with balance. Our purpose in life is not solely to exercise; rather exercise is one small part that can add to a healthy lifestyle. If an eating disorder has distorted your body image, participating in appropriate and enjoyable activity can increase your respect and appreciation for your body. When we use our bodies as they were intended, we are rewarded with increased health, acceptance and trust in our bodies.
Guidelines for Healthy Physical Activity
Healthy activity has a positive affect on the mind and body, rejuvenating and enriching it rather than exhausting or depleting it. In the end, physical activity should alleviate mental and physical stress rather than create more! The following are some tips to keep in mind for enjoying your activity and keeping it healthy for you.
- Choose an activity you enjoy doing to be active.
- Regularly include rest days in your routine.
- Plan activities for rest days that are social and / or relaxing.
- Vary your physical activity to avoid strict routines.
- Listen to your body! Do not make exericse choices based on guilt or calorie burning goals.
- Exercise with a buddy.
- Be honest with how you feel while exercising - are you having fun? Is there something more important to be doing?
Exercise Abuse
Physical activity can change from being a positive force in your life to being a danger when it becomes excessive, obsessional or rigid. Some people rely on physical activity to regulate their emotions or “numb out” from unenjoyable feelings. Other times exercise may take presedence over more important priorities in life. Physical activity can also become a requirement to allow permission to eat, or as a form of self punishment. These factors all indicate that exercise has become unhealthy and is taking more from you than it is giving back. Asking yourself questions and considering the answers honestly, can help to keep exericse healthy.
- What is my goal / purpose for exercising today?
- Am I exercising to eat or eating to exericse?
- How do I feel when I miss a planned time of exercise?
- How does missing an opportunity for exercise impact my body image?
- How much does exericse define me?
Special Issues for Female Athletes
Many women feel the pressure of looking good while they’re physically active, moving the focus of the activity away from their performance and onto their bodies. Many team sports have much more revealing attire for the females than their male counterparts. Many women who enjoy physical activity also face the pressure of looking the part for their chosen activity or sport. We all have expectations and assumptions of size and shape, such as expecting a basketball player to be tall, a jockey to be short and a gymnast to be tiny. These assumptions can lead to feeling pressured to fit the mold and can feed the belief that failing to do so means a decrease in athletic performance. However, it is important to remember that weight and appearance do not accurately measure performance, but are endorsed by the marketing industry for their own personal gain. At 240 lbs, Courtney Paris played center for the University of Oklahoma’s basketball team. She was a consensus #1 Team All American as a freshman and a finalist for National Player of the Year. As a freshman, she accomplished something that had never been accomplished in NCAA history.
Healthy and enjoyable exercise can add to a healthy lifestyle and renew our respect and appreciation for our bodies. So have fun this winter season.
References:
Thompson, Ron A., “Female Athletes and Eating Disorders: Special Issues in Identification and Treatment,” delivered at Winnipeg Manitoba, 2006.
website: http://www.casapalmera.com/articles/personal-training-and-functional-fitness/
Approaching phsyical activity with a healthy perspective that is appropriate for your current health, can aid in recovery from eating disorders and improve body acceptance. The human body was designed for motion and will do what you ask or train it to do. However, as with all things in life, exercise must be approached with balance. Our purpose in life is not solely to exercise; rather exercise is one small part that can add to a healthy lifestyle. If an eating disorder has distorted your body image, participating in appropriate and enjoyable activity can increase your respect and appreciation for your body. When we use our bodies as they were intended, we are rewarded with increased health, acceptance and trust in our bodies.
Guidelines for Healthy Physical Activity
Healthy activity has a positive affect on the mind and body, rejuvenating and enriching it rather than exhausting or depleting it. In the end, physical activity should alleviate mental and physical stress rather than create more! The following are some tips to keep in mind for enjoying your activity and keeping it healthy for you.
- Choose an activity you enjoy doing to be active.
- Regularly include rest days in your routine.
- Plan activities for rest days that are social and / or relaxing.
- Vary your physical activity to avoid strict routines.
- Listen to your body! Do not make exericse choices based on guilt or calorie burning goals.
- Exercise with a buddy.
- Be honest with how you feel while exercising - are you having fun? Is there something more important to be doing?
Exercise Abuse
Physical activity can change from being a positive force in your life to being a danger when it becomes excessive, obsessional or rigid. Some people rely on physical activity to regulate their emotions or “numb out” from unenjoyable feelings. Other times exercise may take presedence over more important priorities in life. Physical activity can also become a requirement to allow permission to eat, or as a form of self punishment. These factors all indicate that exercise has become unhealthy and is taking more from you than it is giving back. Asking yourself questions and considering the answers honestly, can help to keep exericse healthy.
- What is my goal / purpose for exercising today?
- Am I exercising to eat or eating to exericse?
- How do I feel when I miss a planned time of exercise?
- How does missing an opportunity for exercise impact my body image?
- How much does exericse define me?
Special Issues for Female Athletes
Many women feel the pressure of looking good while they’re physically active, moving the focus of the activity away from their performance and onto their bodies. Many team sports have much more revealing attire for the females than their male counterparts. Many women who enjoy physical activity also face the pressure of looking the part for their chosen activity or sport. We all have expectations and assumptions of size and shape, such as expecting a basketball player to be tall, a jockey to be short and a gymnast to be tiny. These assumptions can lead to feeling pressured to fit the mold and can feed the belief that failing to do so means a decrease in athletic performance. However, it is important to remember that weight and appearance do not accurately measure performance, but are endorsed by the marketing industry for their own personal gain. At 240 lbs, Courtney Paris played center for the University of Oklahoma’s basketball team. She was a consensus #1 Team All American as a freshman and a finalist for National Player of the Year. As a freshman, she accomplished something that had never been accomplished in NCAA history.
Healthy and enjoyable exercise can add to a healthy lifestyle and renew our respect and appreciation for our bodies. So have fun this winter season.
References:
Thompson, Ron A., “Female Athletes and Eating Disorders: Special Issues in Identification and Treatment,” delivered at Winnipeg Manitoba, 2006.
website: http://www.casapalmera.com/articles/personal-training-and-functional-fitness/