Introducing my healthy lifestyle into my work...

I've been making all sorts of healthy changes to my lifestyle and one of them is introducing more exercise so I meeting the recommended two and a half hours per week. I've already covered the many health benefits associated with this and my measurements are a testament to the changes to my body. However, I now need to try and capture how fun and enjoyable exercise can be, especially if your willing to try new things. I've been trying out different ways of keeping fit and my favourite so far is power hooping but my gym might be introducing rave trampolining, I say "hell yes" to that. Exercise is about what works for you, weather it's a 20 min walk or a hike up glen Nevis, it all counts as I'm finding out. However, the more fun exercise is, the easier it gets. I want to capture this message in my work and inspire people to see exercise as something fun to do.
When I was a child, every week day morning, when you switched on the T.V you were greeted by brightly kitted out aerobics instructor inspiring us all to get up and moving in the morning. With their crazy 80's work-out gear and enthusiasm for keeping fit it was hard not to join in, this put the fun into exercise.

 
Lizzie Webb, TV-am photo gallery, Last updated (2008)
Available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/image_galleries/tv_am_gallery.shtml?7



Mr Motivator, The UK’s most famous fitness instructor and star of GMTV
Available: http://www.snowbombing.com/blog/2010/02/05/973/

I have already outlined plans to incorporate the fun side of exercise on to my printed bags. As  the sugar and salt that fill the bags represent the reduction of harmful foods in my diet, I thought by printing my exercise routine on to the bags, this would allow me to represent how I've managed to change my body physically. Which I think has a nice conceptual under tone that I could explore as a resolve for my final piece.

Inspired by 80's styled aerobics, I want to put the fun into my printed bags.

 

I want to photograph my exercise routine but add a bit of characterisation by going all 80's and embracing the bright aerobics gear, that screams "exercise" so I can really play the part. I'm talking bright colours, spandex and of course leg warmers. However, before I get over excited and bust out with leg warmers I thought I better see how this would translate into print...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I repeated the process I had carried out in earlier print experiments...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I de-saturated  and then adjusted the photos using photoshop and printed these in a grid formation on to acetate.

 

 

This was exposed onto a screen ready for printing. I must point out that as I had only done a few photos I used some of my facial yoga photos from a past experiment to make up the grid. However, if I develop this idea further I will photograph 38 different exercises moves.

The prints worked well and have gave me an idea of what will work visually if I develop this further.

Still loving this idea...

After concluding my print experiments for my weight bags, it has confirmed that I want to develop this further. I am toying with the idea of allowing the viewer to be able to experience my journey by wearing the weight I've lost as I think this would add the personal element required to make this a success. These bags will contain the weight I've lost and will have tags that are dated and the amount in pounds. It's early days but I'm thinking I could have a carry bag of some type suspended for a baggage scale that's filled with my weight bags. The bags could be removed corresponding with each part of my personal journey. This will allow the viewer to really walk in my shoes and I'm hoping by experiences this it may encourage a few people to go on their own journey by embracing a healthy lifestyle. Now the decisions been made, there's only one thing for it, time to shop 80's aerobics style.