Reading time: 4 minutes
Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy. Whether it's for weight management, mental well-being, or overall fitness, we know that staying fit offers many benefits.
And this is true no matter your age. Motivations and activities may vary over the years, but the need to stay active applies to every age, from early childhood through adolescence, adulthood, and old age.
Olympic athlete James Ellington shares how his experiences and commitment to an active lifestyle have evolved over time. He discusses his diet, body, recovery, motivations, challenges, the mental health benefits of exercise, and his overall feelings about maintaining an active lifestyle.
Food
How has your attitude towards food changed over the years?
Like most children, I think, I didn't worry about my diet when I was little. I just ate whatever food was given to me. I wasn't really aware of the importance of what you put inside your body for your health and growth. It's something you learn to understand as you get older, and it's great to see that children are receiving more education about nutrition.
Growing up, I already led an active lifestyle. So I followed a fairly balanced diet, but I indulged myself more than I do today.
Now that I'm an adult, I know the importance of nutrition, both for leading a healthy lifestyle and for supporting my athletics career. Variety is everything. I still allow myself to eat whatever I want one or two days a week, but even on those days, I'm very careful to consume foods and drinks that provide all the vitamins and minerals my body needs, and Lifeplus products help, too.
Body and recovery
Have you noticed a difference in your body and recovery over the years?
Like many people, when you're younger, you feel invincible and bounce back from falls, injuries, and setbacks without a care in the world. So, I wasn't at all interested in recovery when I was a kid.
As I grew up, through my teenage years, and into adulthood, I became more aware of it and made conscious efforts to master my flexibility, especially as I increasingly dreamed of pursuing a career in athletics. Stretching is often overlooked, even though it improves flexibility. It plays a very important role in recovery after competitions. From a physical perspective, as I've aged, I've had to focus more on recovery to meet the demands of my body. That's why I organize my time with activities I would never have considered before. For example, I make time for sports massages tailored to my training and for life in general.
Motivations to stay active
How have your motivations changed over the years?
Health has been my life's work ever since I was a teenager. It has always been my main motivation to stay active. My passion for athletics and my potential as an athlete have driven me to continue leading an active lifestyle, and this has been the case since I was a child, as I've dreamed of this career since I was a kid.
Difficulties
What challenges have you faced over the years?
In my life, I have taken difficult paths and encountered obstacles, but at all ages, I have managed to overcome them with a strong and positive mindset that has only grown and evolved after each of these setbacks. My greatest challenge is the car accident I suffered in 2017, which took me back to my childhood, when I had to relearn how to walk. Even when I was forced to lead a sedentary lifestyle, my determination to return to an active life was stronger than ever.
As you grow, it's these experiences and setbacks that shape your personality. The challenges may have been very difficult at the time, but when I look back on them now, I see them as opportunities to learn.
Willingness to live an active life
Has your desire to lead an active life changed?
Personally, I will always train and stay active. It's never been all about performance. My overall health and fitness take precedence over performance. As I've gotten older and mental health has become a growing topic, I've realized even more that leading an active lifestyle can help us all feel fulfilled and improve our mental well-being, regardless of our age.
From a mental perspective, the biggest change for me has been the amount of pressure and expectations that all athletes experience as they progress through competitions, and even at specific times, such as just before major championships. Self-belief is essential to cope with this, and especially following my accident, I like to break down my goals into smaller ones so I don't feel overwhelmed. Sleep also goes hand in hand with mental and physical well-being, and its importance is often overlooked. I've been aware of this since I was a child.
Overall, my desire to lead an active lifestyle hasn't really changed. I think the various factors that can impact and encourage an active lifestyle have become increasingly apparent to me as I've grown older.
Attitudes, motivations, and even frequency change over the years, but staying fit is essential at any age. Browse the different articles in the "Life Stages" filter in our Wellness Center to discover the benefits of sport at all ages.