By the way . . . the benefits of ‘thinking yourself’ fit
ON SUNDAY I’m running the London Marathon. I can’t tell you how many people have asked me if I’m actually running the whole thing! Well, I am. All 26.2 miles of it.
To date, I’ve never ran a marathon and every training plan tells you not to attempt the full mileage before the big day.
The adrenaline and the atmosphere will get you to the finish line — oh, and the past six months of training of course. I’ve been assessed by physios and doctors, got kitted out in the best trainers and have every ‘go-fast’ gadget known to man. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be and my aim is to get round the course in under five hours and not end up in an ambulance.
At this stage I’m confident enough to call myself physically fit. According to recent research from Stanford University in California, those of us who think we are fit (whether we are or not) have better health outcomes than those of us who classify ourselves as couch potatoes.
The study, which was published in the journal Health Psychology and analysed surveys from more than 60,000 US adults, showed that those who thought they were less active than their peers have a higher risk of death overall. This is irrespective of whether they were objectively fit.
So thinking you are fit has real, actual health benefits. It motivates us to be active. Thinking you are a slob has negative connotations and makes you far less likely to engage in an exercise programme.
As a GP, if I give a patient the impression I think they are lazy or not engaged in becoming physically fit, it pushes them further away. By encouraging any achievement where exercise is concerned, research suggests we can impact a change. Goad them and give out to them and they will go to seed.
So while I might be deluded about my own physical fitness it seems there is a mentality towards ‘thinking yourself’ fit.
The proof of the pudding for me will be pounding the pavements come Sunday. It’s a case of on your marks, get set and think myself to the finish line!