I have learned that progress in anything takes first believing in yourself, then creating an action plan, followed with effort. During life’s most challenging times exercise has always been my anchor for my physical, mental and spiritual health. When we workout regularly, we are much more in tune with our bodies. Exercise benefits our brain power, improves our moods, helps keep depression away and allows us to develop a deeper connection with our inner-spirit. Exercise can help us feel more positive about life and can help us create more meaningful relationships with others.
Sadly, some of us do not enjoy working out and are not receiving the maximum benefits that exercise can provide us. Some of us even experience a phase where we are no longer motivated and fall off track. Exercise isn’t just for physical health benefits. When we can learn to experience the feeling that our body, mind and spirit are one, there is no more resistance.
As a lifestyle coach, I share with my clients how the mind and conscience work together on sending signals to our feelings and our feelings help us become aware of how a movement or exercise can make us feel in the moment, right now. Noticing that movement and how the movement feels can be very enlightening. Any creative movement done with the right mental focus and movement can support an overall sense of well being.
I had just finished a yoga session and was reflecting on how yoga, weight training, walking, running and all exercise can offer a new way of embracing exercise, a way of living and moving in our bodies that feels good, natural, effortless. We can see effective results when we choose a type of exercise that is fun and makes us feel good on all levels.
Have you ever thought about how effort equals strength? I have found this to be true when my body has pumped and stretched to get up those difficult hills. I realize that my mind is learning about how effort equals strength. This is an incredibly empowering feeling that I’ve carried over into other areas of my life when difficult situations arise. Each time I climb these difficult hills I notice progress. Progress motivates me to do it again. During life’s challenges, I’ve noticed when I am feeling my best and feeling strong physically, mentally I’m more confident and somewhere deep inside my soul I am able to carry a quiet inner strength.
So if exercise isn’t your thing or you’ve become bored with your same routine, I suggest trying something new that will be fun and challenging where you can track your progress. Often when we choose to try a new sport or exercise we begin to get re-inspired to take the best care of ourselves and to view exercise with all its benefits in a more holistic way and it effects for mind, body and soul.
Here are a few ideas to get re-inspired:
Running – mix it up: sand runs, treadmill, indoor track, outdoor track, hills, parks, beaches. Go solo and enjoy listening to your tunes, or go with a friend or group – keep it mixed up, fun and interesting.
Hiking – can be very meditative to connect with nature, can be fun with a group or quality time spent with a friend.
Walking – indoors on a treadmill and mix up the incline/intensity, walking out doors in a park or on the beach, walking meditation listening to a walking meditation.
Roller blade/roller skate – listen to tunes by yourself or ask a friend to join you.
Yoga – try a different style of Yoga each week! This could be through a class at your health club or finding a Yoga studio in your area. Another option might be to check out a DVD at the library and try out different styles of Yoga; then buy the DVD’s or join a yoga studio that focuses on the styles of Yoga that you connect with best.
Bike ride outside or for inside set the stationary bike on an interval training session. Spin classes offer a great workout for an indoor workout.
Stairs – outside or for inside set the stair machine on interval training or try setting the stair machine on the fat burning session to keep things mixed up.
Pilates – Many gyms offer Pilates classes. You might also consider signing up with one of the Pilates Studios in your community.
Dance – a night out with friends dancing or take up a community dance course/lessons like salsa, line dancing, ballet, jazz to name just a few.
Create your own workout using body sculpting, static resistance training and strength training – in a class, with a private trainer or by applying a mixture of exercises you discover while reading a health and fitness magazine or online fitness site.
Martial Arts or Tai Chi – sometimes a gym or health club will offer these or a local studio. Some of these studios offer martial arts group classes. Often Tai Chi classes are held outdoors in a park or on the beach.
Circuit Training indoors or outdoors. If outdoors, try a park or the beach and use the benches for step ups, lunges, push ups and use any stairs to climb – get creative, think play, have fun! You could even include using a trampoline for rebounding in your backyard, which is really good for the lymphatic system. Use a jump rope in between sets of push-ups, crunches, lunges.
Enjoy your favorite sport or activity – maybe it is golf with friends, a game of soccer, windsurfing, snow skiing or maybe you enjoy horseback riding or gardening.
Hire a personal trainer to motivate and re-inspire you. Consider one-on-one, partner or small group fitness training.
Just considering exercise or trying something new won’t be enough to see progress. Ultimately, it is action that will make the difference. Contact me to keep you on track with your wellness plan and start feeling excited about seeing positive progress results!