Movement
Hey guys! This post we are talking MOVEMENT! And given the all caps, you can probably gather how excited this topic makes me.
It actually wasn’t until after I graduated college that I discovered how much I love to exercise. Growing up my parents exposed us to all sorts of things, but I was never an “athlete” so I always just figured working out wasn’t my thing. Well, turns out that even if you weren’t a college athlete, you can still not only benefit from working out BUT you can find things that you enjoy doing!
We all know that there are so many benefits to moving our bodies. It makes us happier, relieves stress, increases energy, helps with weight loss, improves memory, and many more. In this day and age, most people have jobs that require them to sit at desks for hours on end or live in places that require us to be in our car a lot, so getting our blood flowing is more important than ever.
Yet, for some reason, when we are really busy at work or in our personal life, or when times are tough, exercise is usually the first thing that falls by the wayside. Why is that? It is in those time, we would think, that we would turn to working out instead of letting it be the one thing to always go. But I get it, I have been there too. You’re stuck at work, miss the last 8:30pm class and think, whatever I’ll go tomorrow. Or you have been traveling all day and opt for a glass of wine to relax instead.
I am not saying missing one class or having a glass of wine is bad, but making those things patterns and habits isn’t the best thing for your body. So, I want to inspire YOU to not only make a habit out of moving your body but also shift the mindset around exercise in general. Here are my 5 tips!
1. Find things YOU love: Don’t worry about what is trendy or what someone on Instagram is currently doing. Bottom line is if you don’t love it, you won’t do it. Plus, working out is supposed to increase happiness, so loving what you are doing is key!
2. Get out of your own way: This is a BIG one for me. What I mean here is stop thinking that moving your body means a 60-minute cardio class or 85-minute yoga class. Those things are amazing and if you can afford it and time allows, great! Do it! But you can also be creative and have fun with moving your body. Get outside for a jog, walk to work, go on a hike, have a dance party in your apartment (my roommate and I did that the other night and I was sweating) or try an at home workout video. The reality is, most of us don’t have the time or money to go to fancy classes every day, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t move our bodies! Which brings me to my next one…
3. Time: Stop thinking working out needs to be at least an hour. If all you have is ten minutes, throw on that 10 minute YouTube video or do some sun salutations. Once again, everyone is so busy always, so it is unrealistic that every day will allow for those amazing 60 minute workouts. Plus, there is so much content thanks to the internet, you can definitely find effective, but short, videos and routines!
4. Set small attainable goals: If you are implementing a new routine or mindset around anything in life, it’s better to start small. By setting small and attainable goals, you will set yourself up for success and be able to grow from there.
5. Grab a buddy: I don’t know about you, but I always think it’s better to workout with someone – it is more fun that way, plus you can hold each other accountable so you actually get your ass to class (or at least have someone else to dance around the kitchen with!).
If you already workout regularly or have heard this all too many times, let this serve as a reminder to keep it up! Or, if you are someone who could use some more movement, let this be your inspiration to get moving! I also want to add a small disclaimer here – if you are at the point in your exercise journey where your goals are to lose a certain amount of weight or really tone it up, I am not saying dancing around your kitchen every night will accomplish that. My point is more to just inspire you to shift your mindset a bit so you realize it doesn’t always need to be so complicated or rigid. There are far too many benefits to moving, why deprive ourselves of that?!
Thanks for reading and I hope you have a beautiful (movement-filled) day!
With love,
Nicolette