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How Exercise Can Benefit Your Relationships
January 17, 2025
Hi all, Daniel from AB here! Today I want to share with you all how exercise can benefit your relationships. Exercise is often celebrated for its physical and mental health benefits, but its positive impact on relationships is equally significant. Engaging in regular physical activity can enhance your connections with others, fostering stronger, healthier relationships. Here's how:
Shared Activities
Exercising together, like jogging or hiking, creates shared experiences and strengthens bonds.
Improved Mood
Exercise reduces stress and boosts mood, leading to more positive interactions with others.
Increased Confidence
Feeling good about yourself can improve how you relate to others, enhancing social interactions.
Social Interaction
Joining fitness groups introduces you to new people, expanding your social network.
Better Communication
Exercise improves cognitive function, helping you communicate more effectively.
Quality Time
Physical activities provide a chance to spend quality time with loved ones.
Encouragement
Working out with others offers mutual motivation and support, strengthening relationships.
Exercise offers more than just physical and mental health benefits; it can also significantly enhance your relationships. By engaging in physical activities with others, you can build stronger bonds, improve communication, and create lasting memories. So, lace up your sneakers, grab a friend or loved one, and start reaping the relational benefits of exercise today!
Daniel Dewberry
Workers Compensation Specialist ‑ Team Leader East (AEP, ESSAM)
Exercise Rehabilitation Services ‑ WA
With a new year upon us every individual will be looking to achieve a new list of goals they would like to achieve for both their physical and mental wellbeing. It is important when setting goals for the new year to break it down into steps so that these can be achieved and keep you motivated along the way. Here are a few steps to help. Specificity A goal must be clear and precise. Ambiguity leads to confusion, whereas specificity provides direction. Instead of saying, “I want to get fit,” try “I will jog for 30 minutes, five days a week.” This leaves no room for misinterpretation and gives you a concrete path to follow. Measurable: Track Your Progress Goals need to include criteria for measuring success. By tracking your progress, you can stay motivated and recognize when adjustments are needed. Pro Tip: Use tools like journals, apps, or spreadsheets to monitor milestones. Celebrate small wins to keep the momentum alive. Achievable: Stay Realistic Ambition is admirable, but setting goals too far out of reach can lead to frustration and a lack of motivation. Ensure your objectives are challenging yet feasible given your current resources and timeframe. For instance, if you’re a beginner runner, completing a marathon in three months might be overly ambitious, but aiming for a 5K race is more realistic. Pro Tip: Reflect on your past achievements to gauge what’s attainable. Stretch yourself but avoid setting yourself up for failure. Relevant: Align with Your Values Your goals should resonate with your larger life purpose and priorities. Fitness goals should reflect what you want to achieve—not what others expect of you. When your goals are personally meaningful, they’re more likely to inspire consistent action. For example, a person training for a marathon has a different motivation than someone aiming to reduce back pain through core exercises. Both goals are valid, but their relevance depends entirely on the individual’s priorities and circumstances. Time-bound: Set a Deadline A goal without a deadline is just a wish. Adding a timeframe creates urgency and helps you stay on track. Instead of “I’ll lose 5Kg,” say, “I’ll lose 5Kg by a certain date or I will lose 0.5Kg per week for 10 weeks” Pro Tip: Break larger goals into smaller, time-bound tasks. This makes big ambitions feel more manageable and achievable. By using the SMART goal structure, the goals you set coming into 2025 are far more likely to be achieved by keeping you on track and helping you recognise the small wins along the way. These small wins build confidence, discipline and motivation towards the larger goals which will help keep the momentum moving in the right direction. Adrian McKenna Exercise Physiologist Exercise Rehabilitation Services ‑ WA
T ime spent in natural outdoor environments has been found to increase cognitive function. Staying active during the holidays can be both fun and beneficial for your health. With all the festive activities, food, and time off, it’s easy to slip into a more sedentary routine, but there are plenty of ways to stay moving while enjoying the season. Here are some ideas to stay active this holiday period. Holiday walks: Take advantage of the holiday lights and decorations around your neighbourhood or a local park. Evening strolls to view holiday displays can be a fun way to stay active. Summer in Australia is a great time to get outdoors as the days are longer. Family sports and games: If you have a backyard or nearby park, gather your friends and family for a game of football, soccer, or basketball. The possibilities are endless. Holiday morning walk or run: Start the day with a refreshing walk or run before the big feast. It’s an excellent way to clear your mind, get some fresh air, and set a positive tone for the day ahead. It can help boost your mood, reduce stress, and improve your metabolism. Holiday advent active calendar: Create your own "active advent calendar" to keep you motivated throughout December. Each day, set a small fitness challenge that fits with your schedule and surroundings. This is a fun way to build consistency while staying active during the festive season. Beach activities: Australia's coastline is perfect for surfing, whether you're a beginner or an expert. December is an ideal time to hit the beach as the weather heats up. Volleyball and cricket are amongst the most popular beach games. References: - Biddle, G.J. et al. (2022) ‘A Christmas themed physical activity intervention to increase participation in physical activity during Advent: Pilot randomised controlled trial’, BMJ [Preprint]. doi:10.1136/bmj-2022-072807. - Boere, K. et al. (2023) ‘Exercising is good for the brain but exercising outside is potentially better’, Scientific Reports, 13(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-022-26093-2. Shafiq Adie Exercise Scientist Corporate Health Services
When many people think of exercise physiology, they often associate it with personal training. The common misconception is that EP is mainly referred for weight loss programmes or managing chronic diseases like heart disease or diabetes. While these are critical aspects of our profession, exercise physiology encompasses so much more. One of our increasingly recognised roles lies within the return to work (RTW) space, where accredited exercise physiologists (AEPs) are playing a pivotal part in helping individuals regain their health, confidence, and ability to re-enter the workforce. Exercise Physiology is the science of using evidence-based interventions to improve physical health and functional capacity. As AEPs, we specialise in designing and delivering individualised exercise programmes for people with a vast range of conditions, including musculoskeletal injuries, mental health disorders, and workplace injuries. The role of the exercise physiologist goes far beyond prescribing exercises. We are highly skilled professionals who combine scientific expertise with a compassionate, client-based approach. Our ability to identify and address the complex interplay between physical, psychological, and functional factors. By understanding work demands, personal goals, and barriers to recovery, AEPs retore physical health while building confidence and resilience. As Workers compensation specialists and AEPs, we often face recognition challenges when compared to other allied health professions. One of our biggest barriers is limited public awareness. Despite our critical role, AEPs are less well-known outside specific rehabilitation or health contexts. Many people have never heard the term exercise physiologist and therefore do not understand our qualifications or scope of practice. There is also a common misconception that exercise physiology overlaps with other allied health professions such as physiotherapy, or other health services such as personal training. In the workers compensation space, AEP’s and more specifically workers compensation specialist bridge the gap between other allied health professionals by designing functional and work-specific rehabilitation, tailored to the specific critical demands of the worker. In this space, AEPs collaborate with workers, employers, and healthcare professionals to support recovery in many facets. This comprehensive approach reduces the risk of re-injury, increases worker confidence, and prepares workers for job-related tasks. Exercise physiology in Australia is an invaluable resource in many health spaces. By addressing physical and psychological recovery and collaborating with other health professionals and increasing workplace readiness, AEPs help injured workers reclaim their health and way of life. As awareness and understanding of exercise physiology continues to grow, we will continue to define and redefine workplace health and rehabilitation. Meagan Cristaldi Workers Compensation Specialist (AEP, ESSAM) Exercise Rehabilitation Services ‑ QLD
