One of the best ways to reduce stress and feel better on all levels is exercise. 

There are many options for cardiovascular fitness, strength training, flexibility, and overall wellness, catering to our preferences and fitness levels.   

For example, there’s

Yoga

Pilates

Walking

Running / Jogging

Cycling

Swimming

Dance (e.g., Zumba, ballet, salsa)

Hiking

Strength training (weightlifting)

Barre workouts

Group Fitness classes (e.g. HIIIT, boot camp)

Aerobics

Kickboxing

Water aerobics

Tai Chi

Indoor cycling (spin classes)

Tennis

Pickleball

Golf

Rock climbing

Bodyweight exercises (e.g. calisthenics, TRX)

CrossFit

Martial arts (e.g. karate, taekwondo)

When we have a regular exercise or movement schedule, our body changes, and we are positively transformed and uplifted by the experience. 

Regular exercise:

Boosts our stamina and energy levels, helping us stay alert and productive throughout the day.

Promotes better concentration and cognitive function, enabling us to tackle tasks with clarity and efficiency.

Triggers the release of endorphins, which alleviates stress and improves mood helping us cope with the demands of work and life effectively.

Regulates sleep patterns, ensuring we get the rest we need for optimal performance at work.

Fosters a sense of accomplishment and self-assurance, empowering us to take on challenges and assert ourselves professionally.

Strengthens our immune system, enhancing our well-being and health.

Enhances cognitive function and creativity, leading to improved problem-solving and productivity.

Reduces the risk of chronic diseases and enhances our quality of life.

Prioritizing

No matter what gets in the way - time constraints, fatigue, lack of motivation, guilt, convenience or access to classes or facilities  - we can find positive ways to prioritize our physical/emotional/mental health and fitness.

For example, we can:

Schedule exercise sessions like any other appointment and make them non-negotiable.

Incorporate short bursts of activity throughout the day, like taking the stairs and doing desk exercises during breaks.

Get up earlier in the morning for a workout or use our lunch break for a quick gym session or walk.

Make sure we are getting enough sleep, which exercise helps us experience.

Choose activities we enjoy and find energizing.

Break our workouts into shorter sessions if we’re feeling tired or drained.

Set specific achievable goals and track our progress to stay motivated.

Find a workout buddy or join group classes to add a social element.

Mix up our workouts to keep them interesting and fun.

Remember that exercise is an investment in ourselves, and it benefits those around us.

Make it a family affair by taking a hike, going for a bike ride, or playing active games together.

Work out at home, take online fitness classes, or run, hike, or bike from home.

Incorporate physical activity into our daily routine, such as walking or biking to work if feasible.

Why Don't We? A Psychological Key to Success

Even when we know that exercise and staying fit are important, even when we are unhappy with our weight, stamina, and strength, why do we continue to do little or nothing?

Have you ever noticed that people who smoke cigarettes know that smoking kills you and yet continue to smoke? How can they do that?

They continue to smoke because smoking killing you is not real to them. They don't see themselves as sick or dying, even if they've had a smoker's cough for years.

But, if they find out that they have lung cancer or some stage of lung disease, that all changes.  They become aware that they are actually dying, and the reality of smoking becomes real and personal to them.

My mother was a pack-and-a-half-per-day smoker for 20+ years.  As a child, I tried to get her to quit by drawing skulls and cross bones on her cartons of cigarettes. It didn't change her behavior.  She just got angry with me.

I was surprised when I came home for the holidays during my freshman year of college and she had quit.  She became aware of a scratchy sensation in her throat that she had never experienced before and became scared.

So she went to her doctor, got the nicotine patch, and quit. That was it.  She never smoked another cigarette until the day she died twenty-five years later.

She allowed change to move through her and created a new, healthier reality for herself.

So don't wait until your bones are brittle and you fall, or you are huffing and puffing and can barely walk up a flight of stairs, or whatever your threshold of pain is to implement change.

Set realistic and doable goals now.

Do things that may challenge you but you enjoy.

Acknowledge your weekly accomplishments and monthly milestones.

Celebrate the changes you see and feel in your body, mind, and heart.

Embrace the joy of self-care.