Working out is good for the body – most of us know that – but something only true devotees understand is the effect it can have on the mind, too. It’s why people get hooked on the endorphin rush, and talk about being unable to function if they miss a workout.
Simply making time to exercise shows that you believe you’re worth investing in, and the buzz you get from going faster, stretching further or pushing more will give you the confidence to strive for better in other areas of your life.
Powerlifter Poorna Bell
Take writer Poorna Bell, 39, who discovered a passion for powerlifting four years ago after the death of her husband, Rob. Bell says: “I saw the amount of weight I could lift steadily increase, and that planted a seed of self-belief, which started to grow into a root system of empowerment I had never felt before.”
Bell loved feeling strong and powerful but had to work on freeing her mindset. “I was worried about bulking up and looking too masculine ... I had to stop worrying about looks.” She also came to accept that women powerlifters can experience bladder leakage. “It just means you’re lifting a big weight, which can be pretty badass,” she says.
Freeing ourselves from worrying about how we look is central to Elle Bower Johnston’s philosophy too. Now a yoga teacher in east London, she remembers going to her first yoga class 15 years ago and feeling that she didn’t belong because she was larger and less bendy than her classmates. “I wanted to create a judgment-free space that felt safe for people who don’t fit the yoga stereotype,” says Bower Johnston, 36, who now runs classes and private yoga sessions for all.
Yoga instructor Elle Bower Johnston
Like Bell, she found that her chosen form of workout has benefits that go far beyond the physical: “There’s something very empowering about intentionally making space and time for yourself, so that you’re not constantly washed back and forth by other people’s needs.”
She says she’s been able to find an equilibrium and a deep connection with herself. “That doesn’t mean I’m floating around on a cloud, but it means I’m better at coping when things aren’t all shiny and perfect – and that’s a very helpful skill to have.”
Elle Bower Johnston feels empowered by yoga
How to find your own version of strong, by Poorna Bell
1. Try a range of physical activities and see which one makes you feel joyous while you’re doing it, but also work out what type of exercise makes you feel confident and capable in other areas of your life.
2. Physical strength has to go hand in hand with mental strength, so seeing it as part of your mental-health maintenance helps to make it more of a priority and moves it away from weight-loss as a motivating factor.
3. Many of us don’t fuel our workouts properly. If you eat well beforehand, you’ll have a lot more energy, which means you can perform better and without feeling as if you’re about to collapse. It sounds obvious, but so many of us don’t do it!
How to embrace yoga as a form of self-care, by Elle Bower Johnston
1. Good yoga isn’t necessarily about doing handstands or making complicated shapes with your body, wonderful as that may be. A really good yoga session is about answering what your body needs ...
2. And that could be something as simple as slowing down and becoming aware of the movement of your pelvic floor as you breathe.
3. There’s a reason we talk about yoga as a practice, so try to aim for some kind of regularity and consistency in how often you do it – but take care not to beat yourself up about it.
How to train for a strong pelvic floor
Many women experience light bladder weakness at some point in their lives. By exercising your pelvic floor muscles you can seriously reduce the risk of little leaks. To find out more, search “TENA My Pelvic Floor Fitness app” or visit tena.co.uk/women
