We’ve all heard that we need to exercise to maintain our health. Most people see this as a chore and too many do not exercise at all. Yes, it is hard to get motivated, but once you get started, it gets easier. Often we can find a buddy to push us in our quest. 30-day challenges are constantly hitting social media streams. And gyms promote new year’s resolution classes to get you on your journey.
Understanding the importance of exercising and the benefits, will make it easier to do some form of exercise daily. We’re not aiming to run a marathon or become the next gold medalist. We need to understand that there are other ways of exercise that we overlook. We need to find what works for our own body to maintain quality of life for as long as possible.
Body & Heart
Most people think of exercise as what you do to build muscle and endurance. This is a key area that you need to address in your day-to-day health, but not the only area you need to consider. The obvious routines for physical exercise include going to the gym and lifting weights. Some join an exercise class to build cardio. Those are great if they are an option. But in times of restrictions, limited accessibility, or if we are intimidated by these options, we need to adapt.
Resistance bands & weights
Having a basic set of resistance bands will help you maintain (or start to build), the muscles in your body. They are affordable. Usually sold in a set with increasing difficulty, you can push yourself over time. Free weights come in a variety of sizes. Don’t be embarrassed to start with one pound bells, you can build up your ability over time. The key is to introduce them. With increased repetition, when it gets easy, it’s time to move up a level to the next weight category. By incorporating weights into your routine, you are contributing to your muscle strengthening, but also maintaining your bones. Remember to also do exercises for those less obvious areas. These can include kegels for pelvic floor strengthening and bladder support, or your hands to maintain a good grip for day-to-day tasks.
Cardio
Cardio would be the next main element to encompass. At the very least getting in a daily walk for 15-30 minutes. If you can add a few stairs to that commute, even better. If you are new to walking, take it slow at first. Then, as you become comfortable with your new routine, increase the speed, and augment your time that you commit. Keep track of what you are doing so you can see your progress over time. If you can commit beyond walking, you can try cycling, running, swimming. They are all great ways to increase your cardio and you don’t need to rely on anyone.
Dance as an impromptu cardio exercise
One last exercise which makes cardio easy to incorporate is dance, and this is my own personal saviour! I use dance as a way to destress, get my heart rate up, push my coordination skills, all while engaging with others, and feeding my soul at the same time. But with isolation, it became hard to get that quality time with people of like mind. Did I stop dancing? No! I still dance at home, and I dance outdoors. I truly don’t care if anyone is watching. I’m having fun!
In fact, one of the best ways to break up a work-from-home day, sitting at a not-so-ergonomic desk setup, is to move your body. So every couple of hours, I take a dance break. I put on a song, and I dance as hard as I can to get the body flowing. It’s a way to take my mind off of what I am doing. This frees up creativity, and gives my joints a much needed break. Even on days when I go into the office, you’ll probably catch me moving to some song that’s playing in the background. You’ll be surprised how freeing it can be to not only your mood, but in finding solutions to problems you struggled with previously.
Look up a local dance studio that provides community classes. It may surprise you how much fun it can be to try something new. If you are not quite ready to take the full plunge yet, dancing classes are also available on-line. There is a vast amount available for free.
Lungs
Most people don’t think of exercising their lungs, except maybe if they have a chronic lung problem. But this is an important part of your body to exercise daily. By giving yourself a few minutes a day to work on your breathing, you are helping yourself in a multitude of ways. There are multiple methods of breathing available, and many books and apps if you need guidance. At the core of it you need to slow down. Shift your focus inwards. By focusing on your breath, you will ensure you are teaching your body how to do it when you are not conscious of it. Take a few moments in the day to breathe intentionally. You will decrease stress and improve your oxygen intake, building your lung capacity.
Having proper air intake can impact not only your stress levels, but how your voice carries throughout the day. Additionally, your levels of confidence. If you are in meetings all day or on the phone, you are probably straining your voice. Ensuring you know how to use your throat muscles with proper air usage is key. Voice exercises are not reserved just for singers.
Exercising Your Mind
This may sound weird, but the logic behind it is that like any other muscle, your brain needs to be exercised. Fortunately, there are many ways you can do it. Work on brain puzzles like Sudoku or crosswords. You can find apps or books to work your brain in a different manner for a few minutes a day. I work in my Sudoku book during breakfast, and it sets my brain up for the day. If I can’t sleep because I can’t shut my brain off, focusing on a puzzle helps me wind-down too.
It’s been proven scientifically that doing puzzles can help delay and improve the condition of mental deterioration, including the effects of Alzheimer’s and dementia. Investing in this strategy can maintain memory and thinking skills, and delay the inability to do basic tasks. Jigsaw puzzles can also help in a multitude of ways:
- better visual-spatial reasoning;
- learn to pay better attention to details;
- help with your problem-solving ability;
- reduce anxiety; and
- improve your memory.
Reading will also help keep your mind sharp and can improve mental deterioration of aging. Additionally, reading can help you develop new perspectives and understand others better, helping you build stronger relationships.
What exercises are you adding to enjoy your life to the fullest?
Exercise can be intimidating for people that don’t have a regular routine. And for those that do, re-evaluating what you are doing is good practice. Can you diversify what you are doing? Are you ensuring you are also looking after your heart, lungs, and brain too? If you are looking to get started and need a little guidance, don’t be afraid to ask for help.
The great thing is that there are countless resources available to you this day and age. Exercise doesn’t have to be expensive classes or memberships. If you focus on telling yourself that you will feel better in the long-run, and for longer in your life, that is all the motivation you need. It is advisable to seek professional advice from your family physician before embarking on any new exercise regimen. You want to ensure what you are planning is not putting you at risk for anything. Remember to evaluate what you are doing periodically. Try different things to keep yourself motivated and work on other challenges.
IMAGE CREDIT: Unsplash | Ashley Batz.