Getting Fit
How exercise helps both mind and body.
by Tiffany Dara C. Johnson
For the first time in eight years, I have joined a gym. Before now, I conquered my daily fitness regimen early before my children and the sun would rise, in front of the television to workout videos, kicking, boxing and contorting my body through yogic positions. I was committed to giving myself good health, and I adopted exercise as a way of life and as a part of my daily schedule.
I found that I wasn’t alone. These days, I sweat and suffer next to military wives hitting the weights, cardio and pavement not just to lose those extra pounds, but to build that internal strength that is always challenged by our military’s operational tempo.
As the nation’s number of obese individuals rise, health organizations call for the increase in exercise and better nutrition. But beyond the basic tenants that exercise is good for the body, it can also be asserted that it is also good for the soul, the self esteem, and for the nerves.
Maria Villarreal of Ladies Workout Express in Harker Heights, Texas, has seen it first hand in her own fitness gym. Located just a few miles from Fort Hood, much of her clientele are military wives seeking health, solace and friendship. As a retired Army spouse, she reflected that “I always found myself being a single parent. And that can sometimes bring you down, feeling depressed and stressful.” She turned to exercise as one way to help cope with stress, and recently opened a gym in part to “help ladies feel better about them[selves] … attitudes change and they start feeling confident about themselves. It really is a great thing to witness.”
Julie Robinson, an Army wife and mother of two young children, echoes this sentiment. Robinson finds the time to exercise despite her busy schedule as both a stay at home mom and a part time registered nurse. She exercises four to six days a week, and notices that “if I don’t get my heart rate up and break a good sweat at least 4 times a week, I feel my mood change for the worst.”
Looking beyond the borders of the workout gym, military spouses have also taken to the streets – running. No longer is this sport left for military members themselves; spouses are taking part to reap its health benefits, encouraged by avid running groups and fun races scheduled within military communities.
Jenny Curwen, an Air Force wife in Florida, was initially not an avid runner, but was encouraged by a friend to run a marathon. Curwen rose to the challenge, and in the process of training found comfort in the sport, helping her work through both personal stress and the changes the military brought to her family. In addition, she adds that now that “I am back to running again, my husband and I have one more thing in common.”
Our roles as military spouses require us to take the lead in our families and communities. By incorporating exercise in our daily routine, we can become both physically and emotionally fit to face the challenges we will meet. Curwen expressed it simply as, “I am able to be a better military spouse because I am a better me.”