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When former footballer Takara Hawthorne-Smith suffered a career-ending injury aged just 24, she could have thrown the towel in. Instead, she turned to the gym, falling in love with weight training and going on to become one of Britain’s top powerlifters. Read her inspirational story and about her training regime in this week’s Fit Fix.
It can be tempting when suffering a setback or sustaining an injury, to want to give up completely. Shit happens, and, sometimes, exercise can seem like the last thing you want to do, but taking time to break a sweat - whether that’s a power walk, a spin class or joining a sports team that meets once a week - is worth it for body and mind.
Confession time: I don’t always practise what I preach. I snoozed my alarm twice this morning, ditching the gym before work because I couldn’t face getting out of bed. That’s why I’m taking note from Emma Kenny, psychologist for This Girl Can - a ground-breaking campaign that aims to get more women and girls into exercise - who has shared her top tips for staying motivated, including breaking down your goals and asking a friend to check in with you about exercise to help you stay on track.
Also, for all the parents out there, today’s kids are significantly less fit than 20 years ago. In fact, they are the first generation since WW2 to be less fit than their parents. Maybe it’s time to plan some activities for all the family to enjoy?