Something I strongly want to get across to all of my readers is the importance of exercise as nourishment for, not only our bodies, but also our minds!
My first client (now husband) as a fitness “coach” is the person who made me want to share with you how to improve in your health journeys as well. By nourishing his body and mind through exercise and healthier eating, he has felt more fulfilled than ever before! If only he would let me show you guys progress pictures, then you’d know just how much improvement I’m talking about (20 pounds down, but we’ll discuss the topic of weight loss at a later date).
For this article, we’ll focus on the activity he’s been doing as exercise and the impact it’s had on his frame of mind.
Prior to this lifestyle shift, I had told Luke how I felt exercising in a day can make you feel better emotionally, physically, and mentally.
After he committed to exercising five days a week (while being sure to get 10,000 steps everyday), in the first two weeks, he’d already experienced a significant increase in energy and five pounds lost!
So, what exercises was he doing that contributed to this health improvement? You’ll hate to hear me say this, but…running. I know even the word makes everyone feel sick. If it’s the way to feeling good then it’s not appealing enough to want to try it for most of us, but I am telling you that it does not have to be as horrible as you may think.
Luke started out at a 14 minute pace for a mile. To those of you that don’t know how fast that is, let’s just say you could walk at a brisk pace and reach a mile in 16 minutes. I say this because you don’t have to be sprinting for miles hardcore everyday to nourish your body and mind!
Even walking for just 30 minutes everyday is a great way to improve mental health. Work that up to a walk with a jog for 30 seconds, then we’re really talking! For Luke, at least walk-jogging everyday boosted his energy levels and motivated him throughout his day at a desk job. He also found himself in a better mood each day, finding positivity that has shown in his interactions with others (I can vouch) and his optimistic mindset.
Exercising regularly also helped his sleep improve- thank you Fitbit sleep score for providing evidence that can attest! Expending energy allows for more restful nights of sleep (guys need their sleep!). Have you ever found that after not doing much in the day it’s harder for you to fall and stay asleep? We need to exert energy in the day so we can rejuvenate our bodies at night when we sleep. We can go more in depth on this in another post.
What I want you guys to understand is how beneficial exercising- more specifically just walking- is for our minds. My challenge to you is to aim for 30 minutes of walking, jogging, or any kind of activity you prefer for two weeks consistently (yes, everyday). Let me know how your mindset is after hitting that point. I have a feeling you’ll experience nourishment to your mind and body. My hope is you’ll want to keep it going when you start feeling motivated- the first steps to leading a healthy, nourished life!
Let’s get to changing:)