World Mental Health Day is on Oct 10 but in truth, we should all focus on our well-being every day.
Unfortunately, according to activewear brand Lululemon’s third annual Global Wellbeing Report (GWR), the worldwide state of well-being has not improved since the company first surveyed in 2021, during the height of the pandemic.
In Singapore, 36 percent of people do not have the time to think about their well-being, while 45 percent feel the need to pretend to be happy even when not because of societal pressures.
Men feel the impact of low well-being more acutely, and face challenges when speaking up about improving their mental health. More than half feel societal expectations make it difficult for them to express their emotions.
To help advance well-being for all, Lululemon has launched the “Find Your Wellbeing” campaign this October with global Korean icons Jeon Somi and Taeyang. The campaign involves a series of activities in key cities around the Asia Pacific region, such as meditation and sound bath classes by Lululemon ambassadors Naomi Yeo and Bebe Ding in Singapore.
To kick off the campaign here, the brand has partnered with founder of Mobilus Crossfit and trainer Aidan Chemaly to support his initiative – a 24-hour Murph Challenge on Oct 15.
The Murph Challenge is a demanding endurance-based CrossFit workout that involves running one mile, doing 100 pullups, 200 pushups, 300 squats and running another mile, all while wearing a weighted vest.
Together with three partner studios (Urban Edge, Canvas and Division Athletics), the goal is to start the conversation on the importance of well-being and to break down the barriers between physical activity and mental health.
All proceeds raised from the challenge will be donated to Samaritans of Singapore.
SG Magazine spoke to Chemaly on why he is embarking on the challenge, how exercise can improve both physical and mental health, and why it is important for men to speak up about their well-being.
How did this partnership with Lululemon come about?
The Murph Challenge was created in partnership with Lululemon, where the brand believes in a holistic approach to well-being that helps create a healthier future for all within the community.
I have been lucky enough to work with Lululemon for over three years now, including being a current legacy ambassador. I was drawn to the brand because of what they do for the wider community, and have been lucky enough to run and be part of some amazing events along the way. The Murph Challenge is one of the activities.of Lululemon’s “Find Your Wellbeing” campaign.
Why are you doing a 24-hour Murph Challenge to raise awareness on the importance of well-being? How does movement and exercise help?
Lululemon’s Global Wellbeing Report uncovered steps that everyone can take to improve their well-being, and this includes working out and exercising with other people when possible.
Those with high wellbeing were four times more likely than those with low well-being to have joined free community-based workouts.
The Murph Challenge involves 12 workout sessions (each an hour long) conducted over a span of 24-hours in light of how mental well-being issues often persist through the day for many.
Movement is highly underrated not just for our physical health but also for our mental health. The Murph Challenge was created to help people understand the connection and bring people together as a community to exercise together.
How are you prepping yourself for this 24-hour challenge (pre-and post workout)? It’s going to be quite grueling.
It is a very challenging day for me physically, but I have been preparing myself leading up to the event with plenty of exercise and training. As this is my third time doing the challenge, I also have a good idea of what to expect and no matter how bad it gets I have an amazing community behind me who always gets me through.
As I do exercise quite regularly, it is important for me to prioritise my rest and recovery ahead of the Murph Challenge. This will allow my muscles to heal and adapt to the stress of exercise, while overtraining can lead to injuries and burnout.
It is also important to focus on eating a balanced diet and ensure I have a sufficient intake of carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.
According to Lululemon’s 2023 GWR, 45 percent feel the need to pretend to be happy. In particular, men feel it’s more difficult for them to speak up about their mental health than women. Do you agree with this? Can you share any incident that made you realise the importance of opening up on mental health issues and seeking help?
Unfortunately, my experience is that men tend to think asking for help is a sign of weakness. I have seen this firsthand even in myself. I wanted to change this perception and shed some light that you are not alone going through this struggle.
When I started this challenge three years ago, I was amazed at how many people close to me started opening up about their own experiences and how much these issues have impacted them. That’s the main reason why three years later I am still championing this cause.
Mental health and well-being is so important to me, and I am proud to be a part of Lululemon’s commitment to help advance men’s and the community’s well-being through the “Find Your Wellbeing” campaign.
On a personal level, what do you do to boost your mental health and practise self-care?
There are two things I have built my mental health on. The first is exercise. People underestimate how important exercise is for our mental well-being and how it doesn’t even need to be something more complicated than walking.
The second is finding people to lean on. When I realised asking for help wasn’t showing people that you are weak, I developed a stronger relationship with those around me and I lean on their support when I need it the most.
Sign up for the sessions (limited spots are available) and join Chemaly in raising awareness on the importance of well-being and raise funds for Samaritans of Singapore.
