Your head knows a walk would probably help. Your heart also knows the couch, a family-size block of chocolate, glass of Sav Blanc and the endless scroll are right there. (And they’re a lot easier to say yes to). And your hips? They’re just confused.
If that sounds familiar, you’re far from alone. New research commissioned by Viva Leisure, the company behind Club Lime gyms, found that 77% of Australians say exercise makes them happier and less stressed. Yet when they last felt mentally low, 24% turned to alcohol, junk food or screens, compared with just 13% who turned to exercise.
The gap between knowing and doing
This isn’t a problem of awareness. Three in four Australians (76%) already exercise to support their mental wellbeing, and more than half (51%) notice their mood take a hit when they miss their usual routine. We know movement works. We just don’t reach for it when we need it most.
Viva Leisure’s Chief Operating Officer, Sean Hodges, puts it plainly: when we’re stressed or mentally drained, exercise is often one of the first things to fall off the list, right when it could help us the most.
And for many of us, it’s falling off a lot. More than a third of Australians (37%) either aren’t exercising at all or are moving less than two days a week, which the research notes falls well short of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s physical activity guidelines.
Who reaches for what
The research found some interesting differences across age groups and states:
- Gen Z are the most likely to exercise regularly, with 73% getting three or more sessions a week. They’re also the most likely to turn to alcohol, junk food or screen time when they’re low (31%).
- Millennials are the most likely to exercise for their mental health (80%), and 40% work out five or more days a week.
- Gen X and Baby Boomers are moving less, with 38% of Gen X and 45% of Boomers not getting enough exercise. Boomers are also the least likely to turn to exercise when feeling low (8%).
- Tasmanians are almost twice as likely as Queenslanders to reach for those less helpful comforts (37% vs 19%), though in every state and territory they outweighed exercise.
Why movement helps
Beyond Blue Clinical Psychologist Dr Luke Martin says moving your body can lift your mood, reduce stress and give you a sense of achievement. Doing it with other people can also help you feel connected and part of a community. Even small amounts of movement, he says, can make a meaningful difference to how we feel.
That’s worth holding onto, because “exercise” can sound like a big ask when you’re running on empty. It doesn’t have to be a 6am HIIT class or a 10km run. And to be clear, a night in with comfort food isn’t a moral failing. Sometimes rest really is what you need. But if the pattern is always the screen and never the shoes, a small nudge in the other direction might be worth trying.
Making it easier to start
- Lower the bar. A ten-minute walk around the block counts. Aim for “something”, not “a workout”.
- Treat it like a dental check-up. Hodges suggests we prioritise exercise the way we do routine health appointments: not an optional extra, but part of looking after ourselves.
- Bring someone along. A walk with a friend is much harder to cancel than a solo plan, and the connection is a bonus.
- Find what you actually enjoy. A solo gym session, a group class or a wander with a podcast: you’re more likely to stick with what you like.
- Decide before the slump. Lay out your shoes or book the class when you’re feeling fine, so you’re not relying on motivation on a bad day.
- Pair it with something you already do. Take your phone call on foot, or walk to the coffee place that’s a little further away.
- For Mental Health Month, Club Lime is partnering with Beyond Blue on a “1 Billion Steps for Mental Health” challenge. Members across 133 clubs will track their steps through October with a collective goal of one billion, and more than 80 community events are planned around the country, from walks and fun runs to in-club challenges. The biggest is a sunrise community fun run around Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra on Saturday 17 October. Details are at clublime.com.au/1billionsteps.
If you can’t make an event, the idea still applies. Whether it’s one lap of the block or a full lap of the lake, the goal is the same: make moving part of how you look after your mind, not just your body.
If you or someone you know is struggling, free and confidential support is available 24/7. Call Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 or visit beyondblue.org.au/get-support.
