When it comes to improving health, one of the first things many people think of is they have to exercise more… or start exercising. The focus becomes a purely physical one with specific metrics such as our weight and body measurements. While I think its great to want to move your body more and have metrics to see progress, this approach neglects the other parts of ourself. We also see that many people find it difficult to keep up with new physical health goals making it easy to quit and feel defeated from.
What if your mind isn’t into going to spin class?
What if emotionally you just can’t keep up?
What if it is not the right exercise program for you?
There are many considerations when thinking about improving our health. Exercise is important and should be included but without alignment to your physical skill and interests as well as what you emotionally and mentally need you may find this new healthy goal more difficult to maintain and see results from doing.
What I find with my clients and myself is we give up and fade away from physical activities that do not engage us or have our interest. The types of exercise routines people tend to maintain are the ones that not only move the body but connect with them on a mental, social, and emotional level. We look forward to it because there’s something more than just moving our body we get rewarded by doing it.
Physical Movement Beyond Body Moving
First, consider that exercise doesn’t have to be brutal to be effective. We need to move the body to generate a good sweat and get the heart moving. This doesn’t need to be intense, hours long or even hard. A good healthy walk outside can do much more for us sometimes than an hour on the treadmill watching TV.
Engage in activities that strengthen and condition the body. A variety of activities is also important so we work different muscle groups and support the body’s need for rest. Look for activities that work the various body systems including cardiovascular, skeletal, muscular and overall fitness.
The biggest factor in physical movement is developing consistency. This is where variety and interest in what you are doing matters. Learning new things also keeps things interesting and engages the body in new forms of exercise that can be enjoyable and engaging.
Mental Stimulation while Exercising
Exercise has many benefits for our mind and mental health. It can stimulate repairs in the brains that support improved memory and increased creativity. It can also help with focus and concentration.
Using exercise as a way to involve your brain is a great way to get a good workout. This is where activities like outdoor active games and team sports can be helpful.
We can also see mental benefit through walking with a friend. This is not only introducing accountability but can be a situation where you discuss interesting topics that give the brain a boost.
Emotional Support while Exercising
Exercise from an emotional health perspective includes finding intentional ways to release emotions. Exercise releases the feel good endorphin hormones that reduce the effects of sadness, anxiety, depression and blues.
Yoga, Tai-chi and other exercises like these can be incredibly beneficial to our emotional health while providing physical and mental stimulation.
Spiritual Connection through Exercise and Movement
Even our spirit can benefit from exercise!
One of the best yoga classes I have ever taken included Christian prayers and Bible verses while we moved into the poses. It was incredibly connecting for me and calmed my spirit.
In Japan, there is the practice of “forest bathing.” This is the act of walking through the forest in communion with the trees and nature. doTERRA actually created an essential oil blend that produces this same effect aromatically. The oil is also called Shrinin-Yoku (Forest Bathing)
Being more self-aware, expanding mindfulness and reconnecting with our inner peace is one of the hardest and most rewarding workouts you will ever do.
Bringing Movement Together in Mind, Body, Spirit and Emotional Ways
Intuitive movement is a wonderful technique to support tapping into your body’s wisdom for how it needs to move. It honors your limits and listens to align the movement your make with the intensity and duration your body needs.
I like to call this mind-body exercise because when you reach this state of your working out, it is next level personalization in your health journey. Instead of pushing to a schedule and predefined set program of working out you listen to your body and do that. You stop when your body says it needs rest.
Sounds simple but in reality it takes us a long time to break up with the idea we have to do certain things to an expectation that is not our own. It is great to have challenges we work towards but no one knows your body better than you when it comes to what is enough or how far to push. There is a careful balance between coping out and knowing when your body has reached that ideal place of activity level that serves for healthy movement.
Striking that balance in your movement routine with flexibility to do what’s right for you takes time to define and build. It requires so much of what we know for how health is built to be reframed and personalized to us individually. Many of us would benefit form simply learning to listen to ourselves and having the courage to act on what our body says it needs.
Holistic Exercise
By embracing holistic movement, we can nurture our body, mind, emotions, and spirit simultaneously, reaping benefits that extend beyond physical fitness. Through regular physical exercise, mental stimulation, emotional well-being practices, and spiritual connection, we can cultivate a profound sense of overall health and well-being. So, let’s embark on this holistic journey, honoring and moving our bodies in ways that nourish us on every level.
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