For me, there is no better feeling than the buzz I get from swimming. Being in the water is one of the best feelings ever. I can’t even begin to tell you how excited and happy I am now that lockdown restrictions have eased, and swimming pools have been allowed to reopen again. But I know that not everyone feels the same way.
My love for swimming and all things water started when I was younger. I was very lucky that I had swimming lessons from a young age and by the time I was 9, I had swum my first mile. That still is probably one of my biggest achievements in life and from then on, I developed a pure love for swimming.
I feel very strongly that being able to swim is a really important skill for everyone to have. Children should be taught to swim from an early age and understand how to get out of any dangerous situation with the skills they have learnt through swimming. Sadly, we still hear stories of adults and children getting into very scary situations in water, especially in the summertime, which can result in some very sad outcomes.
Another reason for my love of swimming is that it is such a great all-round exercise. Being a plus-size lady, I have always struggled with a lack of confidence when it comes to exercise and being in the gym. The fear of being judged for the way I look has always stopped me enjoying exercise in the gym or even in a class. Yet with swimming, I feel so differently. I feel so relaxed and confident when I am in the water. All of my fears and worries about being judged just seem to disappear and I could happily swim length after length all day. Now that the lockdown restrictions have eased, I am hoping to swim 2-3 times a week. I like to regularly challenge myself in terms of the distance I swim, so every time I swim, I either add in more lengths, or challenge myself to swim a certain distance in a shorter time than I have done previously. There is no better feeling than pushing yourself and actually achieving new goals.
Sometimes I think people are surprised at how good I actually am at swimming. They see a large, plus-size woman and make a judgement that I don’t exercise and don’t take care of myself. Nothing could be further from the truth, and I love showing and proving people wrong. Yes, I might not be a gym bunny, but swimming is my love and I am really good at it. So next time you see me at the pool, don’t judge me for how I look in my swimming costume and goggles – watch me swim 50 lengths, see the glow I get from pushing myself and then tell me I am no good at swimming!
My name is Sarah Miles, and I am a lifestyle and beauty blogger from Gloucestershire. I work in Marketing and love reading, writing, swimming and having a good catch up with friends over a coffee (or a glass of Prosecco!). If you fancy a read of my blog click here.
