Why do we rarely see Asian women jogging in the park?

We’ll go walking in groups, catching up on all the local gossip simultaneously, but upping the ante and taking it to the next level, jogging is just unheard of in our community.

It’s as rare as seeing the aunty in the shalwar kameez puffing furiously on a cigarette. Or Cheryl Cole singing live.

How many times have you heard the Asian woman speak enviously of the postpartum body of her female white counterpart?

No-one bounces back to their pre pregnancy shape without exercising.

We eat the ghee laden parathas and ensure we are well rested after giving birth. Yet somehow the Asian woman can simplify it to the following argument “Well she’s a goree, innit.”

Why is it such a dilemma for Asian women to exercise? We’ll purchase the cross trainer with the best of intentions but leave it for use as a clothes horse rather than actually getting up on it and exerting some physical energy. And anyway, housework should be suitable enough exercise. If you put on weight, you’re not cleaning enough.

Is it to do with our mindsets, that we simply can’t get our heads around something that is not the cultural norm? Or is it to do with the attire?

Can you imagine the woman cycling in shalwar kameez and a helmet?

If the Asian woman even contemplates jogging in the park there is the dilemma of what to wear.

Not everyone is comfortable donning the tracksuit bottoms and t-shirt for it being too revealing. Shorts are out of the question.

What is the suitable attire to cover the, well, the 'jiggly bits'? And what if a woman covers her head? How does one wear a hijab with tracksuit bottoms and trainers without looking like a tourist?

But then again, how does the Asian female go to a sandy beach in shalwar kameez on a hot sunny day? Let’s be honest Asians don’t do the burkhini!

Swimming costumes beyond the age of ten are out of the question unless you possess Veena Malik traits. (Incidentally, hockey, rounders and netball are not to be encouraged for your daughters, as, shock, horror, your legs will be on display.) We’ll roll the shalwar up to the knees, put on large sunglasses and pray no family friends make an appearance.

Mixed gyms seem to be out of the question.

There are some ladies only gyms.

And I have recently heard of ladies only swimming pools .

Many of us are naturally self-conscious and worry about being seen exercising in public.

If someone does happen to notice you, you can be assured that most of the local population will be made aware of your past time.

Why is it that the Asian woman who exercises and tries to maintain a healthy lifestyle eating organic food is almost as strange a phenomenon as the couple who married three years ago but still don’t have a baby?

Perhaps we can blame the lack of exercise on the fact that the shalwar kameez is so comfortable and doesn’t fall under the size 10, 12 or 14 category.

If you find the kameez getting tight you simply get a slightly wider one stitched and you loosen the elastic on the shlawar.

Why would you need to exercise to rectify the situation?

We’d rather go on our version of a diet, which really means eating the salan without the chapatti or rice.

Or is it simply down to the fact that the Asian woman stays slim until she finds a husband, and then once she is in the safe parameters of marriage, does she really need to make an effort?

After all he should love her for what is on the inside, and not for having a svelte physique after 3 or 4 kids.

This generation falls under two categories, the ones that hope to see a British Pakistani woman representing GB in the Olympics in the diving or volleyball category.

And those that consider such a prospect worthy of inducing an audible ‘tauba tauba.’ Perhaps the next generation of Asian women will battle to challenge this mindset.

And perhaps the next generation of Asian men will acknowledge that hirsute shoulders should be waxed.

Well, it’s good to be optimistic.