I grew up in an extremely active and outdoorsy family, something I am so thankful for. I grew up in a beautiful rural town on an 8-acre hobby farm, the fourth of five children. Our yard was big with lots of room for running around. My three brothers regularly convinced me into playing cricket or footy with them outside, and our weekends were filled with my parents taking us to sporting games. I’m certain this active upbringing has influenced my attitude towards fitness and health as an adult, in an enriching and healthy way! Fitness has also changed as I had a knee reconstruction seven years ago, so I’ve had to modify certain approaches since then, but still enjoy all the good that comes from whatever activity I can do.

Here are some of my favourite ways to enjoy fitness and movement:

1. Swimming: Growing up, swimming wasn’t a strong point for me. I wasn’t bad at it, but athletics and cross-country carnivals were much more my forte. However in 2015, I suffered an awful knee injury playing touch football and my knee hasn’t been the same since. During my long recovery journey, my physiotherapist encouraged me to take up swimming, and to keep swimming a habit for the rest of my life. I cannot remember his name, but thank you for the encouragement because I love swimming! The low-intensity on your joints and the fitness you gain from swimming is amazing. Again, I’m not super fast and when I first started swimming, I was puffing and heaving after one lap, but slowly have made progress. I try get to the pool for about 45-minutes at a time, 1-2 times per week.

2. Badminton: This is a new and recent activity since Chris and I got married in 2021, but we love a good badminton session at the local PCYC. Be warned, it’s deceivingly tiring, but goodness me, it’s fun! We bought new racquets last year and have played various rounds with friends, which has made badminton a great social game as well. 

3. Pilates: Pilates was never on my radar for a long time, but then once I tried it, I was hooked! Pilates is focused on strengthening those tiny muscles that we have but barely focus on in other exercise activities, and the way Pilates has helped my poor knee along its rehabilitation journey is truly a gift! And reformer Pilates is a MUST! Feel the burn, enjoy the burn, love the burn!

I think truly the best way to improve your fitness is consistency and fun. Don’t torture yourself trying to enjoy something. Yes we have to push ourselves to see results, but my encouragement is to find an outlet that will really give you that wonderful endorphin rush. In the famous words of Elle Woods: “Exercise gives you endorphins; endorphins make you happy!”

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 – Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Love, Gracie