Gratitude in Motion: The Transformative Power of Exercise

It's easy to feel gratitude for your family, friends, a safe warm home, your job and so on, but it might feel weird to bring this to your fitness routine. When we combine the practices of gratitude and mindfulness with our exercise routines, we unlock a powerful synergy that nourishes not only our bodies but also our minds and spirits.

In this blog, I'll explore how applying this simple tool may help you feel better, recover faster and see progress more quickly.

1️. Gratitude amplifies joy: Exercise is a gift that allows us to move our bodies, strengthen our muscles, and improve our overall health. By infusing our workouts with gratitude, we shift our focus from what our bodies can't do to what they are capable of achieving. Gratefulness for our physical abilities, the energy to exercise, and the opportunity to care for our bodies amplify the joy we experience during our workouts.

2. Gratitude boosts motivation and resilience: Cultivating gratitude during exercise can enhance our motivation and resilience. By expressing gratitude for the progress we've made, the challenges we've overcome, and the strength we've built, we reinforce our determination to continue our fitness journey even when we don't feel like it or we start to wane in motivation.

Gratitude serves as a powerful reminder of our accomplishments, empowering us to push through obstacles and embrace new challenges with a positive mindset. When I'm struggling to get out the door or to get through a tough run, I try to remind myself that there are so many people who would love the time and ability to be doing what I'm doing, and it radically shifts the rest of the run for me.

3. Gratitude and mindfulness foster self-acceptance: Exercise does not have to be about achieving external goals or meeting societal expectations or looking good to post on Instagram. By infusing gratitude and mindfulness into our workouts, we cultivate a deeper sense of self-acceptance and self-love.

We learn to appreciate our bodies for what they are capable of in the present moment, rather than fixating on perceived imperfections. This shift in perspective allows us to embrace ourselves with compassion and kindness, leading to a more positive body image in all areas of our lives.

The benefits of gratitude and mindfulness extend far beyond the duration of our workouts. As we practice gratitude during exercise, we develop a greater capacity to apply these principles to our daily lives. We become more attuned to moments of joy, more resilient in the face of challenges, and more present in our interactions with others. The skills we cultivate during exercise become tools for living a more mindful and grateful life overall.

Embodied Awareness: Exploring the Power of Mindful Movement

We know movement and exercise are beneficial for overall health. There is no end to the ways you can move your body, but do you ever feel like you 'should' be running? Or you 'should' be doing more yoga?

When we see children playing at the playground, we are witnessing joy. Movement and joy. They are not thinking that they need to get their daily steps or close a ring on their watch or that they are doing it for their health, but rather the pure enthusiasm that comes from doing what your body is supposed to: MOVE.

Somehow, as adults, we can stray away from this and it's why so many of us can really struggle with finding an exercise practice that we can stick with, and enjoy.

My number one rule for every client that is looking to achieve some kind of fitness routine is to pick something you enjoy.

Hate running? Don't do it. Can't get into the zen zone with yoga, then stop. LOVE crossfit? GO for it! Enjoy long walks? You go Glen Coco!

So how do we bring mindfulness into our movement beyond just choosing something we enjoy? Let's explore!

1. Exercise with Intention: This will always be my number one recommendation. Choose activities that you genuinely enjoy and that align with your goals and values. Whether it's walking, yoga, dancing, or weightlifting, you do you - what brings you joy and fulfillment?

2. Mindful Movement: Approach exercise as an opportunity to connect with your body. Sometimes it can be an opportunity to escape, and that's ok, but we rarely stop to actually pay attention to what our bodies tell us. Be present during your workout, paying attention to the sensations, your breath, and the movement of your muscles.

3. Be Kind to Yourself: Avoid self-judgment or comparison when it comes to exercise, who cares what the person on the bike next to you is doing, or if that woman across the room can touch her toes and you can't? That's not why you showed up.

4. Listen to what your body needs: Not every workout is the same, some days you are going to crush it and feel like a rockstar, and some days, you just feel heavy and slow. Your body is asking for you to give it what it needs, allow some flexibility in your routine to accommodate it.

5. Mindful Rest and Recovery: Allow yourself adequate time for rest and recovery. Listen to your body when it needs a break and honor its need for relaxation and rejuvenation, you can't grow, gain, or get faster without downtime.

6. Mindful Reflection: Take a few moments at the end of the day to reflect on your relationship with exercise. Notice any patterns, emotions, or thoughts that arise. Cultivate awareness and make adjustments as needed.

Embracing mindful movement and cultivating a deep connection between our mind and body can unlock the potential for greater self-awareness, presence, and well-being. It is not about competing with others, or achieving perfection (what is that anyway?) but honoring our bodies and the beauty of where they are in this moment.

Whether it's practicing yoga, engaging in dance, or simply taking a mindful walk in nature, we have the opportunity to fully inhabit our bodies, tune into the present moment, and tap into the wisdom that resides within.

Why You Should Stop Skipping Rest Day

Rest seems illogical - why should I do it?

Because you don't want to get hurt. Sometimes overtraining and not taking the time to let your body recover can lead to overuse injuries or exhaustion which can affect form. Also, injuries mean you might be out of the game for even longer than a day or two, which no one wants. Every athlete deliberately schedules rest days into their program, you should too.

But I feel fine.. won't working out more be better?

It sure sounds great, but not giving your body a break means you don't give your muscles time to repair themselves. Lifting weights actually causes little tears in the muscles that have to get fixed in order to be bigger and stronger. Your muscles need to have time off, just like you need a weekend to feel refreshed on Monday.

If I take too many days off, won't I lose some strength?

You've worked hard for those #gains, and of course, you don't want to lose them. Repeat after me: one day off will not hurt my training progress. Say that again. It takes weeks of inactivity -not just a missed workout here before you'd see muscle loss. When your muscles come back refreshed, rebuilt, and ready to go, and you'll be surprised at how good you feel at your next workout and how your performance might increase.

What about my mind?

I. HEAR. YOU. Exercise is my outlet for managing my stress and anxiety and I NEED it. Giving yourself a little distance from exercise can actually be healthy for not only your body but your brain. Ever feel like you're checking the clock during your workouts or just not pushing as hard as you could be? You can avoid mental burnout and be excited and challenged when you step back to your routine after a day off.

Ok, so you've found yourself on a rest day, what do you do with yourself?

If you're sold on the rest day but still not sure what that actually looks like in practice, here are some ideas. Rest days don't mean you're sitting around doing nothing and can and should include active rest, something that keeps your body moving in a gentle and low-impact way but does not stress your muscles.

Some examples of things you can do on your active rest day :

• Foam Rolling

• Going for a walk

• Yoga

• Stretching

• Hiking (nothing too rigorous)

• Swimming

If you're unsure how to program your workouts or when to take rest days, shoot me an email. I'd be happy to help you or plan a unique program for your goals.

Now get out there and enjoy some well-deserved rest!