Look who joined us!
We welcomed TV host Scarlett Moffatt to a This Girl Can class in Newcastle recently as she teams up with us and EMD UK to encourage more women to take part in classes and re-discover the joy of being active.
Launched last year, the fun, low-intensity sessions aim to combat the enjoyment gap - which finds many of us feeling that exercise is something to be endured rather than enjoyed - by offering a range of exercise styles including dance fitness, boxing fitness and yoga-inspired stretch.
Available across the country, our This Girl Can Classes act as a steppingstone into mainstream exercise class options, while also creating an environment we can feel confident and supported in.
As someone who has previously felt insecure and anxious about participating, Scarlett is no stranger to the pressures of body image and the anxiety that exercising can bring - which is why she’s teamed up with National Lottery-funded This Girl Can to promote the classes.
“I loved being active when I was younger, I was really into dancing and even took part in ballroom dancing competitions, but as I got older, I started to feel more self-conscious and worried about taking part – was I fit enough? Did I look right? What did other people think?” She said.
“Everyone in the [This Girl Can] class was so welcoming, and the instructor made me instantly feel at home.
“Looking around the studio it was great to see women from all different backgrounds, with different body shapes, and at similar fitness levels to me, relaxing and enjoying just getting active and moving their bodies.
“In the past I’ve often felt daunted by exercise – viewing it as a means to change my body rather than appreciate what my body can do.
“I now have a very positive attitude to exercise and do it for my mental and physical health and because I’ve found exercise options that are right for me such as gentle swimming.
“I really want to help more women get to a place where they exercise for the pure joy of it rather than to punish themselves.
“These classes are a perfect way to learn to enjoy being active again, in a supportive environment and at your own pace with a great playlist.
“I’ll definitely be back – and I want all women to choose joy when they’re getting active.”
Scarlett is not alone in her feelings about exercise; our own survey of 605 women aged 25-34 found that 40% of us exercise primarily to lose weight and see getting active as a chore rather than something they enjoy.
These figures highlight the ‘exercise enjoyment gap’, with Sport England’s Active Lives survey showing 2.3 million fewer women than men strongly agree that they enjoy exercise and sport.
