Ah, the soft and tender words coming from my militant hot-yoga instructor?not exactly soothing. Isn't yoga supposed to be relaxing, you ask? Not the kind I've been doing for a while. I prefer to think of it as ?bootcamp? yoga: an hour and a half dripping with sweat in a very hot room, often practising next to someone who had too much garlic at dinner last night, contorting myself into positions that make my head want to explode, while feeling murderous towards the teacher?welcome to my form of heaven.
Do I enjoy torturing myself this way three times a week come rain or shine? NO. Do I often get into the hot room and want to run out the door screaming? YES. Do I pay a lot of money to go through this torture? YES. Am I glad I do it? ABSOLUTELY.
You may be scratching your head in confusion at this point and I totally understand why. But when I tell you the real reason I do this exercise regime three times a week religiously, suffering and cursing the entire time, you'll understand where I'm coming from.
At the age of 36, I've gotten a bit wiser when it comes to health and taking care of my body. Gone are the days of starving myself or overeating and then punishing myself through exercise. Believe it or not, I absolutely LOVE exercise now. Not because it makes me skinny (nothing will do that due to having the pulchritudinous physique of my shapely Jewish female ancestors which I have come to learn is purely genetic). However, regular exercise does keep me at a healthy weight for my size and stops me from obsessing about my body and food (except during PMS when my body and mind are overtaken by some form of alien life who temporarily makes me think that chocolate is in itself, an entire food group and that excess water in the tummy area is a must-have).
The reason I love exercise now is how it makes me feel AFTERWARDS. You see, after I leave an exercise class, I am transformed. No matter how crappy, miserable, sad, or angry I am feeling before I exercise, for some incredible reason, I consistently feel energized, positive, relaxed, and peaceful after a good workout. And so do many of the women I know. Now we know from brain research that exercise boosts serotonin, the ?feel-good? neurotransmitter in our brains, increases endorphins; chemicals in our bodies that make us feel happy and neighbourly, and relaxes our muscles, which in turn, relaxes our mind.
I encourage all of my clients to follow a regular, three-times-a-week exercise regime of their choice as the first step in improving their mental health. I have not met one single person who has adopted this healthy lifestyle habit who has not greatly improved their mood, productivity, and reduced stress in their lives as a result. I know we hear it over and over again about exercising regularly, but being the stubborn self-willed person that I am, I have finally accepted that other people are wise when they espouse this concept and it's not a conspiracy to make me conform to some strange cult.
I have witnessed countless women's mental health improve vastly from including regular exercise into their lives including recovery from depression, anxiety, disordered eating, post-traumatic stress, and many other issues.
I especially recommend regular exercise for women who are suffering from the effects of being in any kind of abusive relationship where they were systematically stripped of their dignity, sense of worth, and faith in their abilities. Vigorous exercise in this case, especially something like kickboxing, can be extremely empowering and help you to overcome feelings of worthlessness and toxic shame. Through the act of exercising, you can transform a negative self-concept into one of power, strength, and awareness of your abilities and gifts.
In my therapy practise, I have discovered that many women are weighed down with ?depression? or ?anxiety? and that what is often underneath those labels is suppressed anger and/or grief. Being in our bodies and expressing ourselves physically through regular exercise is a fabulous way of releasing emotions that have been stuffed down for a long time.
Exercise can be extremely helpful in moving our feelings ?up and out? of the body and can thus free up energy and leave us feeling lighter, stronger, and more peaceful and in control of our destiny.
There are so many wonderful, exhilarating, and enjoyable forms of exercise out there. Check them all out, try them out, and find the one(s) that you feel the best doing. Experiment and have fun!
To end, I'll leave you with some very inspiring reasons for working out regularly?
Esther's ?Top Ten? Reasons to Exercise regularly:
1.Time for yourself- you get to leave all the people and things that you feel responsible for behind for a time and just focus on yourself
2.Lifts your mood and helps you feel more positive
3.Stops you from obsessing about your body size and shape (in most cases- if you are really prone to this, try a form of exercise that focuses on how you feel on the inside; not how you look on the outside- focus on becoming strong and feeling good emotionally).
4.Gives you a sense of routine which can help you feel more grounded emotionally
5.Gets you out into the world connecting with people you may not meet otherwise
6.Increases your self-esteem as you grow stronger and feel fit
7.Normalizes metabolism which helps you gain or lose weight depending on what is best for your body
8.Improves your sex drive- not a bad side effect, huh?
9.Makes you nicer to be around because you're happier, healthier, and calmer
10.Helps you get out of your head and into your body; this is great for us ?thinkers? and ?analyzers?
So go hop on a bike, take the dog out for a walk, or crank up the stereo and boogie up a storm in the living room - you'll feel better as a result!
Do you find yourself setting a New Year’s Resolution (every year) to get fit/go to the gym/lose weight/drink more water? If you could answer yes to any of those. I totally understand. I did that too for many years. But I also discovered two weeks into January I had blown my resolution and then would feel guilty for “not achieving my goals". What I discovered was it was more about making movement part of my everyday routine (notice I used the word movement not exercise)! Making little changes in your life can help you make exercise part of your life, rather than something you “have to do"! Make an appointment. Begin by starting with three thirty-minute exercise sessions per week. Book your exercise times in your diary well in advance. One of the main reasons many people don’t exercise is because they think they don’t have time – so book it in and make time. Choose whatever time of day suits you and your daily schedule; for some people it will be the early morning (and it’s a wonderful feeling knowing that you’ve exercised before breakfast and don’t have to think about it for the rest of the day!), for others it will be during the day, at lunchtime or after work. No matter what time suits you, make the appointment with yourself. Recruit a buddy. Find someone you can be accountable to – they don’t necessarily need to exercise with you (but it can be more fun with someone else) as long as you are accountable to reporting your exercise activities to him or her. You might even have a variety of exercise buddies – one for walking, one for the gym, one for tennis – whatever works for you. I have a great gym buddy, Simone; we have a laugh, work hard and keep each other inspired. Distract yourself! Combine your daily exercise with other activities, for example, set up your home gym near your TV and watch the news while you work out, listen to music to keep you moving fast or a motivational CD or audio book to make great use of your time and keep you interested. Join a gym. If you enjoy group exercise, or simply like having access to great equipment and organised activities, join a gym. Make sure you choose a reputable company, that the facilities are close to your home or work (if it is not convenient you won’t use it), that the classes you’d like to do are on at times that suit you and that there is plenty of staff to assist with your questions and techniques. If you’ve never joined a gym before, don’t be intimidated – most gyms these days offer many forms of exercise (apart from weight lifting high-impact 80s-style aerobics!), including Yoga, Tai Chi, cycle and even walking and in-line skating groups – there really is something to suit everyone. Keep it fresh. One of the main reasons people stop exercising is boredom, so vary your exercise rather than just doing to same thing day-in, day-out. On weekends, grab a ball and head to the park, buy a basket ball and play one-on-one with your partner or flat mate, drive to the nearest beach, park or lake and go for a long walk, try skating, do a new gym class that you’ve never tried before, buy a Yoga DVD, join a soccer club, start a dance class, get some kids (or adults!) together and play tag or other childhood games –the options are endless, just keep moving and having fun! Get a personal trainer. If you are having trouble getting motivated on your own (or even with a gym buddy), or if you’d just like someone to help you to establish an exercise program and routine, consider investing in a personal trainer. These specialists are no longer just for the rich and super fit. A personal trainer can help you to kick-start your fitness plan and be a great source of encouragement and accountability. When choosing a personal trainer make sure they are appropriately qualified, that you like him or her and that you trust them to help you achieve your goals. If they are more interested in talking on their mobile phone or staring at themselves in the mirror while they are training you – find someone new. Many gyms have personal trainers on staff, and there are also independent trainers who operate out of either their own fitness studios or public gyms. You can also find trainers who won’t take you anywhere near a gym if you’re not interested in that type of activity – there are plenty of other ways to get fit! On a budget? You don’t need a lot of money to exercise – just invest in a good pair of walking shoes and you’re ready to go. Walking is one of the best forms of exercise and it’s available to everyone regardless of how old you are, what size you are and how much money you have. Set goals. Keep a list of things you want to achieve through your exercise, it might include physical challenges such as running up the stairs without getting puffed, walking 4km in less than an hour or completing a full gym class without stopping, as well health and self-esteem goals such as losing weight, improving your cardio vascular fitness, fitting into your summer clothes with confidence and so on. Write your goals down and read them daily to remind yourself of the wonderful achievements you are striving for. Keep track. Encourage yourself by keeping an exercise journal. Record your training sessions and any new milestones you achieve, for example, when you begin you might have poor flexibility and after doing Yoga classes and stretching you find you can reach your toes! Keep track, it’s fantastic to have a record of all your hard work and to see how far you’ve progressed. Reward yourself. Preferably not with chocolate! Buy yourself a new pair of walking shoes or gym outfit, have a massage or a soak in the tub with candles, music, sweet-smelling oils – the works! Find ways that are meaningful to you to reward yourself for all of your hard work and dedication.
Both Esther R. Kane & Karlee Marks are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Esther R. Kane has sinced written about articles on various topics from Web Development, Beauty Tips and Web Development. Esther Kane, MSW, Registered Clinical Counsellor, is the author of ?Dump That Chump: A Ten-Step Plan for Ending Bad Relationships and Attracting the Fabulous Partner You Deserve (. Esther R. Kane's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.
Karlee Marks has sinced written about articles on various topics from Office Chairs, Acne and Womens Health. Author writes articles on different topics. To know more, visit:,. Karlee Marks's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.