Let us sweat!

As I write this I’m sat in front of a fan, blasting out cool air on the hottest day of the year so far! This morning I did an hour’s dance aerobics class and I was dripping – I always work hard in my classes but today I felt even more wetness because I was wearing a cotton off the shoulder top – not my usual sweat wicking fabrics. Plus the sweat shows more if you don’t have proper workout gear on.

I remember a time when it used to be embarrassing to admit to sweating. Rather than see it as a natural bodily function, designed to regulate our body temperature and protect the organs within, it was something a bit cringeworthy. I think the general attitude towards getting people to be more active is helping to break down these silly barriers, and sweat should be celebrated! It means you are doing something!

Fitness is a massive part of my life. I love to be active and try lots of new things. But I’m not a skinny gym bunny – far from it! I love my food and my running vest in the photo above is very true!

Have look at some of the activities I’ve tried!

I’ve done some yoga pictures over the years but this is one of my favourite shots. Hanging upside down, flashing my belly (accidentally!) and being in the moment. Let’s face it- you can’t afford to be anywhere else but mindfully present when you could easily drop skull first onto the floor! For a moment I debated whether to share this image. Instead of the freedom and passionate immersion which I feel when I remember the moment it was taken, I hesitated because a bit of belly fat was showing. Maybe the good people of the internet would judge me for being a size 18 with an extra roll? Then I had a word with myself. For heavens sake, it’s a bit of soft, round belly… not a dirty bomb. And I’m sure no-one cares anyway. Despite my momentary hesitation, I am rather proud that I can still get my legs up above my head! And I’m grateful that I have the ability to share these moments, to look back on. Lives online may appear glossy and ‘sorted’ but like this photo shows, I’m not ‘glossy’. I live a life full of texture, nuance and ‘imperfections’ and that’s fine with me.

A post shared by Nadine Hill (@businessmum) on May 24, 2018 at 7:30am PDT

Post 5k selfie #nofilter #running #happy #meditation #thisgirlcan #selfie

A post shared by Nadine Hill (@businessmum) on Apr 15, 2016 at 12:04am PDT

I also love to do yoga, spinning, and 6 weeks ago I started ballet classes! I’m always keeping my eyes and ears open in case something new and exciting comes out so I can give it a try, and I enjoy reading articles like those at the Knix blog who have loads of tips and features about body confidence and being active.

Having the right kit really is essential in helping me to look and feel great when moving my body. I usually like to wear clothes that have sweat wicking properties to keep me cool, I like learning about the technology behind the design and material of certain garments, and love how we can in this day and age, easily find clothes that help support our busy lives and keep us cool.

I enjoy keeping active not only for the fitness benefits but also the confidence boosting ones. It makes me feel happier when I exercise and I firmly believe that women of any shape and size can get a boost from exercise. Even if it is hard to find the confidence to get started at first. I wrote this blog post over a year ago to help women celebrate their curves and it still holds true today.

So what do you do to get active, let me know in the comments!