Research and Reveal: Going about the Workshop Challenge…
Following up on my previous post, I decided to look at obesity and fitness in Malta. According to the 2018 WHO report, Malta ranks 2nd place in the obesity rate statistics, with 28.9% – meaning that more than a quarter of the population is clinically obese. With that said, it is also common knowledge that till a few weeks ago, everyone was on a bullet train to keep up with work, social life, a household and everything that comes with it. In addition, many people pucker their lips at terms such as ‘training’, ‘fitness’ and ‘healthy eating’.
From personal experience, I used to shy away from walking into a gym. It took me years to summon up enough courage to walk into a gym, and I am still uncomfortable walking into large gyms where I do not know anyone – even after more than two years training regularly and the local gym. Probably it has to do with being perceived as ‘the stranger’ or ‘the noob’. Unlike other gym I have been to, the one I train at there is a sense of community. The people where very welcoming there, like a big family or group of friends. I believe that this is something important when it comes to training, for training can indeed be strenuous, frustrating and it does test your limits.
My goal behind this is promote the idea that the notion of ‘being fit’ truly is something achievable and that is all starts with the mindset. There is the misconception that training is not for everyone, and that people are born with ‘the ideal body’. I would like to create some form of hub where people can find information and share experiences and voice any bothers. It is not meant to be a showcase of who flexes the most or who lost the most weight, but rather to create a sense of community where people have a common interest. I have also scribbled down some notes and put anything that I would like to find in such a platform. I would like to share that sense of belonging I have at the gym with other people who have a different workout routine or attend a different gym.
In addition to this, given that the Coronavirus pandemic has changed everyone’s lifestyle quite dramatically. In Malta, many are recognising more the importance of training, maybe because they are aware that they are less mobile, or purely just to kill time. But either way, people are more willing to move. Moreover, connecting online has become a necessity. Right now, local TV channels are hosting fitness shows. One provider even introduced a new channel dedicated to home workouts. Where I work, we are also putting together a fitness community and hosting online classes for each other
The Visual Summary
To conclude this task, we are to present a visual summary of our project. You can read mine here. Enjoy.
