The 5 BIG Well-being Winners! - ...no.4
GET PHYSICAL
Maybe you already hit the gym every week...
...or...
Perhaps the thought of getting physical leaves you feeling a little faint...
Either way, we’ve heard this a million times right? “Moving your body is good for you!”
Sure, it makes sense that exercise can help you attain health goals like body tone or shape, weight loss and cardiovascular performance, but let’s not sidestep the other big benefits: Our overall well-being can be significantly improved through regular physical exercise, by
🚀 boosting energy levels & often aiding more restful sleep
🚀decreasing stress hormones & boosting our feel-good chemicals
🚀 promoting confidence & a sense of achievement
🚀 reducing the risk of physical illness which in turn helps stress levels & mental health
🚀 producing a fantastic distraction from negative thoughts & feelings
🚀 increasing social interactions & opportunities
The trick to really benefitting from physical exercise & movement is to make it work for you! It‘s so much harder to create a new habit if there are no compelling benefits or there’s little interest or enthusiasm.
Love dancing? Great, go “shake it“ in a club/ class/ environment that feels right for you.
Crave the outdoors? There’s nothing better than exploring nature on a decent walk.
Want to stretch? There are sooo many forms of yoga to try, from very gentle to highly dynamic.
Water baby? Get a date in your diary at your local pool, for a time dedicated to lane swimming.
Need for speed? How about a spin class or just drag those wheels out of the shed & feel the breeze.
Feel the burn? Try a HiiT session... there are many free online if you’re not ready for a class yet.
Exercise supports overall wellbeing on a long term basis. It will also most likely lift your mood in the moment too! Over a third of adults have turned to exercise in order to increase their endorphins, or manage depression, anxiety and stress or simply take time for themselves. Lockdown saw a significant increase in this activity as many people responded to the broad social restrictions that were experienced.
So, whether you decide to try something new, resurrect an old exercise habit or simply make a commitment to walk a bit further each day - remember - you’ll be “lapping” everyone who’s sitting in front of the TV! All movement counts.
Don’t exercise because you don’t like your body...
do it because you LOVE it!
Want help managing your general mental health or introducing new habits? Please reach out to me for a free consultation 😊