Balancing Physical Fitness and Mental Well-being

Opinion: The Balance Between Body and Mind

Some people complain that physical appearance has become more important than intellectual ability in our society. Everyone wants a bodybuilder’s appearance these days, and paying for cosmetic surgery is almost as common as paying for a haircut. However, I don’t think it’s a case of saying one is more important than the other.

It’s true that doing lots of weight training at a gym and focusing only on muscle tone can be a problem, as many bodybuilders take lots of pills and food supplements to add muscle. Also, weight training is not going to help you develop stamina or flexibility, due to the fact that this kind of exercise is not aerobic. However, in my opinion, doing other things at a gym is good for the mind and body:

• Firstly, activities like aerobics, yoga, or Pilates can help your breathing and concentration and, consequently, can improve your state of mind.
• Secondly, it is good for your self-esteem, since going to a gym often results in weight loss.
• Thirdly, a gym is a social context, so it helps you meet new people.

In conclusion, looking after our bodies makes us feel good and therefore improves our state of mind. I think there’s no difference between the aim of getting a healthy mind and a healthy body, so I don’t agree that we are too focused on our physical appearance these days.

Informal Email: Life in France

Sorry I haven’t been in touch since I got here, but I’ve been so busy! I’m staying with a really nice family—they live in a really cool house near Lille, in the north of France. My exchange partner, Natalie, has a brother, Jules. He’s a year older than us, and his friends are so cool. Most people I’ve met can speak English, but Jules can’t, so I’m practising French too!

So, what can I tell you? We went to this fantastic art exhibition in a village in Belgium, half an hour from here. Natalie loves painting, and I’ve spent most of the time with her and Jules. What else? Shopping, hanging out with their friends, listening to music—French pop music isn’t that bad really!

Anyway, what have you been up to? Any gossip? Have you asked Molly out yet? I know you like her. Tell me how it’s going with her, OK? Got to go now.