80% OF BRITISH WOMEN UNFIT

It’s official, the majority of British women are unfit. According to the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation over 80 per cent of us are not getting enough exercise. Many women view sport as being masculine and something that mostly men participate in. It’s not surprising they have that perception really with the amount of male dominated sports like football, cricket and rugby that are shown on television. Less than one in ten of younger women participate in competitive sport.

Sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe is keen to raise the profile of women’s sports, encouraging more media coverage and believes that all women should give sport a try. I must admit I don’t do much sport myself these days, although I used to play hockey and netball during my schooldays. I still dance though and attend a couple of dance classes every week which keep me fit and active. Exercise should be fun and I think if you enjoy what you’re doing that helps a lot. I’m single and don’t have a family and still find it difficult to find the time to exercise sometimes. However for some women who work full-time and have family and home responsibilities, it can be almost impossible to find the time to exercise. Maybe simple lifestyle changes like walking your children to school or walking to the supermarket rather than taking the car or cycling to work might help. Anything that keeps your heart and body healthy is well worth a try.