Healthy Body, Healthy Mind

Former competitive swimmer Mark Foster has teamed up with some friends and launched FitSteps, a new energetic dance class to encourage all ages and abilities to become active. He tells us why it’s suitable for everyone… even those who aren’t gym-goers.

Getting out of your head and into your body is a good thing. My message where exercise is concerned, is simple – stop thinking and start doing.

Not only do we look better when we’re active – we also feel better. But it’s more than that. Exercise offers social benefits and a sense of belonging and can also connect us to others.

In short, we all need a reason to get up, go out and do something that makes us feel good. Movement will make us feel better but social interaction is also key.

It’s human nature to search for belonging. From our first day at school and well into adulthood, we gravitate toward those who reflect the kind of qualities we admire. To say we are looking for “our tribe” means that we are looking for people who share commonalities or possess the traits we aspire to adapt. Whether it’s a family or community, our tribe is important because it reflects our values while simultaneously satisfying our need for companionship.

Let me illustrate my point. I was asked take part in popular TV dance show, Strictly. It was an honour to be asked but I was very much out of my comfort zone. It meant trying something new. For me, dancing in front of anyone (sober) feels embarrassing. Imagine feeling that way and doing it in front of 14 million people!

But from this experience came an idea of wanting get people fit and healthy but I didn’t know how that would look. I realised some people don’t like swimming, going to the gym or cycling, but I knew that so many people loved this show, from kids to parents to grandparents.

So, I spoke to a couple of the pros I met and became friends with. They put the steps to the music, and we created FitSteps. What is it? FitSteps is a dance fitness program you can do online on your own at home or with a group of friends.

I just saw it as a way of getting people moving, getting them fit... But it’s much more... we created a movement, a community. There are 100s of things people can do, my point is trying things and find something you enjoy and people you enjoy being around.

Sometimes simply thinking about something isn’t enough to know whether or not you’ll actually enjoy it. Do something out of your comfort zone, join the local choir, running club, pub quiz team etc. In doing so, you’ll meet others who share at least one similar interest. You’ll also learn what it is you like and don’t like and be able to narrow down the list of things and types of people you want to make space for.

There is a group of people down by me in Leigh on sea called the Blue tits. They are a group of outdoor swimmers. Now I just saw these ‘crazy’ people that swim in the sea outside my house most days of the year... yep all the way through the winter too! I was intrigued, so I asked why they did it. The answer was a resounding sense of belonging and doing something that made them feel good – these people come from all walks of life, and all do different things, but they found something in common, something that bonded them. There are over 100,000 blue tits worldwide now and it only started in 2014.... and to answer the question... yes I joined and have been for a few swims with the group... and yes it’s cold, or should I say, “not as warm as I want it to be” got to stay positive...

The last few years have been difficult for everyone, and we are now so much more aware of our mental health, and what that means.

My advice is to try to create new healthy habits. Try new things and meet new people.... get out of your head and into your body, that’s the way we grow. Be happy.

More Information you can find more info on FitSteps at https://fitsteps.co.uk/

by Mark Foster Olympic and World Championship Swimmer