It only seems like 5 minutes ago we were all expert walkers out on our daily hours exercise during lockdown but how many of you have kept up those positive exercise habits as life began to creep back to normality?
“Hands up, who here already makes time for regular exercise?”
This was the question we asked at one of our talks to a company last year, and to our delight about half the room stuck their hand up.
When we went round asking people what they did the typical responses were a few went to the gym, a few went to spin classes, one went running a couple of times a week, and one lady told us she did a yoga class twice a week.
“But I know I should be doing more,” she said. “It’s just yoga, it’s not like going to the gym or doing a spin class”
“No but it’s still exercise,” we said. “Are you training for something in particular?
“Oh no, I just enjoy it and it makes me feel good, but I just feel I should be doing something more intense”
Sometimes we’re sold a lie about exercise, and how in order to be doing anything effective we need to be doing things like Crossfit, or an F45 class, or we need to punishing ourselves in a spin class.
Instead think of this, if you’re just exercising to stay active, look after your mental health, reduce your stress and make you happy (exercise and positive mental health go hand in hand) then it doesn’t matter what you do, or how intense you do it.
All that matters when it comes to exercise, is that you start something. If it makes you happy, moves your body, increases your heart rate and challenges your muscles, then it’s good for you.
Not to mention the other benefits you’ll get from any form of exercise:
Positive effects on the brain
Improved sleep
Reduced anxiety
Reduced blood pressure
“Exercising is just as much about improving your mental health, reducing stress and making you happy as it is for building muscle or helping you lose weight. ”
How we go about achieving our exercise goals will be different for all of us.
Perhaps you like going to the gym and lifting weights, and your friend likes nothing better than putting their earphones in a hitting the streets for a 10k run, they’re both great.
There is no right and wrong when it comes to exercise, and where to start. The key is to pick something you enjoy, no matter how intense it is. If it becomes a chore, and something you dread, you will stop doing it… and then you’re getting no benefits at all.
So when it comes to exercise and knowing where to start, the things to remember are;
Get up and move a little
Pick something you enjoy doing
Pick something you enjoy doing
When something is important it’s worth repeating. You will be far more successful in starting and committing to something if there’s a strong chance you’ll enjoy it.
Remember whether or not it’s a gym workout, a run, a bike ride, a yoga class, or even out for a hike at the weekend. Whatever it is, you’ll be benefiting from better mental health, better physical health and improving your mood. For any further support or questions about where to start with exercise, feel free to email our coaches at support@thebusinesshealthgroup.com and they’ll be happy to help you out.