Life has a habit of getting in the way of busy women like Caroline putting themselves first and getting active.
The 36-year-old, who works as a full-time carer, features in our new film as part of the launch Fit Got Real, the latest phase of our award-winning campaign. This Girl Can.
“At the end of the day, I always felt I was either too tired, didn’t have enough time or wasn’t motivated enough to exercise,” she explains.
“But, one day I realised how important it was to spend some time on myself. So, rather than spending half an hour watching TV, I decided to get out to the trampoline classes at the local community centre.
“With pressures of work and family commitments, I completely understand how we can all get into a routine of not doing much exercise, but I feel so much happier and healthier from getting more into my routine. Even if it’s a quick run up and down the garden it’s better than nothing.”
Stark inequalities
Fit Got Real is This Girl Can’s latest move to reduce the gender gap in sport and activity.
It aims to build on the campaign’s achievements so far, as well as specifically reaching out to women of backgrounds and ethnicities who feel left behind by traditional exercise.
Our research shows that women in lower paid and routine jobs are twice as likely to be inactive as those in senior managerial roles, while South Asian and black women are also more likely to be inactive than white women.
Jennie Price, our chief executive, hopes Fit Got Real will help tackle the stark inequalities of exercise levels amongst different groups of women in England.
“Many of the pressures of modern life do not make it easy for women to have the confidence and motivation to be active,” she said.
“The health and wellbeing benefits of being active should be available to all women, and that is why we have a new message – Fit Got Real – to celebrate the creative and often unconventional ways many women are fitting exercise into their busy lives”
Changing attitudes
Since it was launched in 2015, This Girl Can has attempted to change attitudes by encouraging woman to get active or play sport in the way that’s right for them.
So far, the campaign, which is funded using National Lottery money, has encouraged more than 1.6 million women to be more active.
But there is still more to do.
Our Active Lives figures show 40% of women aged 16 and over are not active enough to ensure they get the full health benefits of exercise, compared to 35% of men.
Fit Got Real aims to ensure that no woman is left behind, and the campaign will not only support the existing This Girl Can community but will work to connect with women aged 14-60 who are part of groups that tend to be less active.
Please watch and share our film on social media to help promote the message using the hashtags #thisgirlcan and #fitgotreal.