The Lancet Global Health[1] journal mentions that 57% women and 42% men in India are insufficiently physically active. Even more concerning? Should this trend continue, over 60% of adults will be physically inactive. But what really caught my attention was the 15% gender gap tilted unfavourably toward women.
Alarming? But don’t
we run around enough at home?” Well, not quite.
Chores Don't Count
Anymore
For generations, household work kept women physically active. There were no dishwashers, food processors, or spin mops. Our mothers and grandmothers moved. Lifting, squatting, and walking all day. Today, things are different. Many of us have domestic help. Even without it, automation has taken over. A swipe of a duster or loading the machine isn’t real movement. We’re sitting more, walking less, and relying on tools to do the heavy lifting. In short, we are not clocking in enough movement. We don’t exert ourselves anymore. And this applies across the board, whether you're a homemaker or a working professional.
Not just the Gym but
Intentional Effort
The best part is, we
don’t need complex fitness routines - just solid intentions. We may say,
“Our ancestors never exercised!” True. But they didn’t need to; their daily
lives were physically demanding. Ours are not. Therefore, we can’t
rely solely on chores and passive movements to maintain our health.
Here’s how I am trying to make a conscious shift
Building an elaborate
regimen with my challenge was an uphill task. I realised small efforts like
standing up once every hour or a five-minute walk weren't enough for the result
I needed. I tried walking, but my foot aches.[2] So, I scheduled an hour at
the gym. Nothing extreme, just cycling and some stretches. No dramatic
transformation. But I feel better. That was enough to keep going.
Rewrite the Prediction
You don’t need to become
a fitness influencer churning Insta reels or master complex routines. You just
need to show up.
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So, ladies, what do you
say? Do we let statistics define us? Or do we quietly, consistently
improve ourselves?
The future’s waiting.
Let's get moving.
7 comments:
small steps by a woman,giant steps by women ,transformation is not time bound ,it's the tenacity which matters.
There is a misconception about movement and activity to keep the body in good shape. A lot of the movements that women do doesn’t really help with keeping the core strong. So it’s important to work the cores separately and keep a strong posture so that in later years you don’t get into issues. I have heard lots of stories of how active people were when young but are bent over now with no core muscle strength.
Due to the digital transformation and the ever increasing socio economic participation, families in India are taking a huge hit under the belt. We are not evolving enough and barely coping with system. At our age, our living parents cannot participate in the grind. Standard home automation systems are not in sync with our cultural needs. At least for the cattle/middle class. Fast transportation dependency and slow traffic woes adds to the chaos. Time, motivation and residual energy are choke points. Hope to carry on with the psychological enslavement and hope our kids find a fix. As always, cheers to a nice and compact writeup.
Definitely very important to make that conscious effort n sticking to it in such a way that effortlessly we strive to work out to remain fit physically and mentally.
Very true on all counts. Small steps literally can make a big difference. And yes, we can make accommodations for any bodily issues and choose better exercise options rather than giving up. So many times we end up sitting on the couch for a long time watching some type of screen and then say we don't have time, when in reality, we can usually carve out 20-30 minutes most days to do something for our health!
Thank you Smita for sharing such an interesting topic. Yes everyone should start with something big or small The transformation might take time but we will definitely start to feel much better if we do it regularly and not give up.
Well said, Smita. This applies to both men and women, and children too... We are less active because of house-help, gadgets, and 'fingers doing the walking'.
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