Women’s majlis: Create your own exercise strategy

Each month, Weekend will pose a different question to be debated on by a series of female Emirati columnists. This week, we ask Meera Abdulla Al Mutawa:

What are the best ways to improve the overall health of UAE citizens?

I would like to begin by asking: what is health? Is it not being sick? It is eating organic food and being active?

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease.

So let’s break down these components of health. Physical health is having a healthy body, and being free from illness, injury and pain. Social health is the ability to form and maintain healthy relationships with other people. While mental health is “a state of well-being in which individuals realise their own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, and can work productively and fruitfully”, according to WHO.

That said, how can we improve our overall health? I am not a big fan of generic tips on how to be healthy. I really think it is important to individualise what can be done to stay healthy. One thing I know for sure is to do what you love doing. For example, one of my biggest values is family, and spending time with my family makes me happy and lifts my energy. I hereby enhanced my social health (interacting with family) and mental health (being happy).

When I was in university I enrolled in various fitness classes, and found that I particularly enjoyed kick-boxing. When I had a bad day, I took out all that negative tension through punching and kicking (in the class only). I always left the gym satisfied. By doing a sport I enjoyed, I worked on my physical health (exercising), social health (interacting with the trainer and participants in the class) and mental health (de-stressing).

I know many of us give up the gym for other “more important” chores. We all have busy days. But how about doing little physical tasks, such as cleaning your room or reorganising a cupboard? You can also engage in other simple practices like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or parking your car farther away from your destination to walk a little more.

I recently started connecting my laptop to the TV and doing 30 to 40 minutes of exercise routines that were posted on YouTube. Something else you can do is link physical activity with a reward, such as watching your favourite series while running on the treadmill. I really love Hareem Al Sultan, and I only allow myself to watch it if I am on that treadmill jogging. No workout means no Hareem Al Sultan.

Get a paper and pen and make a list of things you love doing. Then think about how they make you healthier, make sure you dedicate time for them and personalise them to suit you. Try to get more out of each activity on your list. Quick example: I love my family, so instead of hanging around in the TV room with them, we will all go on a kayaking trip.

Meera Abdulla Al Mutawa is a Zayed University graduate with a specialisation in nutrition and a minor in both psychology and communication and media sciences.

weekend@thenational.ae