Womens Health Week: Women and Exercise

The Australian National Physical Activity Guidelines require healthy adults to be active on most, preferably all days, including at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week. This can equate to just 30 minutes of moderate activity, 5 days a week. However, the evidence suggests that only 54% of women in Australia meet these daily requirements.

Some examples of moderate activity include; going for a brisk walk, mowing the lawns, vacuuming, swimming or playing a game of golf.

Regular exercise is vital for both the mind and the body. Some common factors that women often report that may prevent them from being physically active
include:
 Lack of time
 Parenting demands
 Lack of energy/motivation
 Lack of money/cannot afford memberships
 Gender stereotyping

Here are some helpful tips to avoid any barriers to exercise that you may have, and to make exercise a convenient part of your daily routine.

 Exercise with a friend/family member and help each other become accountable for your activity
 Find an activity you enjoy, you will be much more likely to participate in activity if it is something you enjoy doing
 Schedule time for exercise each day in your diary
 Break up the exercise into small intervals, do 2x 15 minute brisk walks per day rather than 1×30 minute walk.
 See exercise as time to yourself, let your mind switch off and enjoy moving your body
 Park your car slightly further away from your destination and incorporate a walk to and from the destination
 Set achievable goals for yourself, understand that it is a long-term journey and take pride in every small achievement that you make

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If you would like more advice and information on the benefits of physical activity for women, or specific exercise that may/may not be appropriate during different stages of your life (i.e pregnancy, post-partum), give the clinic a call on 03 5254 2668 and ask to speak to one of our friendly Physiotherapists or Osteopaths.

*If you have a medical condition or haven’t exercised regularly for a long period of time, please seek medical advice from your doctor before increasing your physical activity levels.