Now that spring has finally sprung, it is time to get out and get moving to enjoy the feelings that we feel from being active. It is common knowledge that being physically active has many helpful benefits, however common knowledge is not common practice. In order to get in the habit of being physically active, there are few thoughts we should always keep in mind to reduce stress during our activity to help our activity reduce stress in our life.
- Crawl-Walk-Run: As kids, we learn to crawl before we walk, then walk before we run. As adults, we forget that we need to take things in steps and building a foundation to build on is the key to long term results. The difference is as adults we focus on the finish line instead of enjoying the race as we did when we were kids. Realizing that the process is more important than the goal and setting up habits that help the process continue, will help us throughout our life. Regardless of where we may want to get, whether it’s losing those love handles, hitting a new personal best time, or just keeping up with our loved ones as they run around living their lives, setting a base and building from it is key.
- Do what you love: Being physically active is not just one type of activity such as weightlifting or running. It can be any activity that gets your heart rate elevated for an extended period of time whether it is walking, climbing, swimming, gardening, or spring cleaning. Any number of activities can be used to help us stay healthy but remember that this is time for you and it is more important than most of us admit. So, for this reason, block off your time to not be distracted from others, social media, or work, to invest in your own health to be present on your goals.
- Mind believes – body achieves: The brain is more powerful and complex than we ever knew so mental health cannot be overlooked regardless of our fitness goals. The WHO shared in 2008, “Most of the drugs that have entered the market for treating obesity were originally developed to treat psychiatric diseases. During the past decade, understanding of the neural circuits that underlie food intake has increased considerably.” Starting with our mental health and taking as little as 10 or 15 minutes to do some deep breathing to clear our mind and make sure we are breathing properly will help transfer over to all aspects of our life. If you are looking for a good place to start, to reset your brain, Opp Chiropractic would recommend coming in to try a Reflexive Performance Reset (RPR) session with one of our Exercise Specialists.
-Zach Dykes, Exercise Specialist
World Health Organization, author. Chronic diseases. 2008a. Retrieved on Mar. 26, 2019 from www.who.int/topics/chronic_diseases/en/.
To learn more about Reflexive Performance Reset (RPR) click here.