Looking after yourself inside and out, Part 2

I live with one of the fittest men that I know. Hubby is a keen cyclist and runner. So, I really have no excuse for not doing exercise. The problem is. It can be boring. Hubby doesn’t find exercise boring. For him it’s the opposite. The reason. He’s doing something he enjoys. And so, it’s not a chore.

According to the NHS, we should be doing 150 minutes of physical exercise a week. That’s two and a half hours of exercise a week. I can hear you already. That’s not possible. Where can I find an extra two and a half hours. Good question.

Up until the beginning of this year, I was probably doing half of that. I mean honestly, who has time. Who has the energy. Life is busy. Right? Yes, life is busy.

I know I was a lot fitter when I was younger. I was very active. I was swimming, dancing and doing karate. As an adult, I did the obvious and joined a gym. I got into badminton and for a while I even played basketball. But all that had stopped by the time I was pregnant the first time.

I knew that after I had baby number 2 I needed to do something. I didn’t like my wobbly bits. I didn’t like feeling out of breath. I needed to take action.

First step, join the gym. I’m fortunate that there is a ladies only gym round the corner. I didn’t think I would join a gym again. It can be a bit lifeless. And not very welcoming. But not my gym. It’s small which makes it a bit more sociable. I’ve met some lovely women. Plus the staff are really friendly and very encouraging.

My new thing is obviously kick boxing martial arts. I started at the beginning of this year. Going just once a week. Not any more. From June I’ve upped it to twice a week. I love it. The atmosphere at the club is great. Plus I rarely leave a session without dripping. Sorry for leaving you with that image.

So, for today, let’s talk about physical wellness.

Physical Wellness

We all get told that exercise is good for us but other than making us fitter and stronger what else is there? According to all the research, turns out quite a bit. Here are my personal top 5:

It makes me feel happier – I know that lots of happy chemicals are released when I exercise which not only helps to lift my mood but also helps to make me mentalyl stronger. Vera, my inner critic, is definitely a lot quieter nowadays and I generally feel calmer.

It increases my energy levels – although this may sound bizarre I actually feel I have more energy. I never would have thought that I would be exercising once the kids were in bed. But that’s what happens twice a week.

It helps my brain health and memory – apparently it can help increase the size of your hippocampus. This is the part of the brain that is associated with memory and learning. Maybe this explains why I’m able to recall more easily where lost items are when one of my kiddies asks ‘mummy have you seen my ……?’

It helps me sleep and relaxes me – it is thought to both improve the quality of sleep as well as the amount of sleep. Anything that helps with my sleep is very welcome. Having children has definitely affected my sleep and if it’s as simple as exercising then I’m glad I’m doing it.

It helps with skin health – it’s a fact, we’re getting older and my skin is not as vibrant as it use to be. The good thing is that exercise helps with the blood flow around the body. Our blood not only provides oxygen and nutrients to our skin but it also helps get rid of waste from those cells.

What exercise should I do?

For me, the most important thing is to do something you enjoy. It’s that simple. If you hate the gym or hate running then don’t do it.

Not to repeat myself but your childhood might be the key. What did you enjoy doing as a child? Did you enjoy dancing? Did you enjoy netball? Did you enjoy rugby? Then get on the internet and find a class or a club.

If that’s not possible financially or practically then can you do something at home? It might sound silly but it’s an option. My kids love a disco. I love dancing. So occasionally we’ll throw some shapes in the lounge!

Maybe you’re already dong exercise but you just need to up the pace. Let me give you an example. Say you like walking. Try walking more often. If you already walk everywhere then up the speed at which you walk.

Making time

Here’s where you need to be honest. If you look at your average week are there things that you do that you don’t need to do? Without realising it are you wasting time? Can you do things differently to make time? Look at your habits and routines, how can they change?

Then there’s the lack of energy to do some exercise. Trust me, you’ll feel more energised once your doing exercise.

For me, I would plonk myself infront of the TV once the kiddies were in bed because I was exhausted and lacked motivation. The key was I adapted my daily routine so that exercise has become part of my day. Not everyday though.

Obviously, I do feel a lot better for exercising. I can feel it not only physically, now keeping up with the kids is much easier, but I know mentally that it has helped.

What are you doing?