The Mind Body Connection

Our physical health and mental wellbeing are inextricably linked. Regular exercise has the power to lower your stress levels and reduce feelings of depression and anxiety. That’s because exercise causes the release of chemicals called endorphins into your bloodstream. These chemicals give you a feeling of happiness, which in turn positively affects your overall sense of well-being. So not only does exercise keep the body young, it keeps the mind vital and promotes emotional well-being.

Given this undeniable link between what we do and how we feel, we need to make sure our mind-body connection is working for, not against us. But while we all know the benefits of regular exercise, what hold so many of us back from being as active as we need is that not only do we have jobs and daily routines that keep us sitting for long periods of time, but we also think we are too busy to find the time to exercise.
If you are having a hard time getting started building good physical fitness habits, think of it this way. Rather than trying to find the time to exercise, instead find ways to build more physical activity in your life.

Ways you can build more physical activity into your routine

  • Get rid of the all or nothing attitude. The trap is feeling like you don’t have time to go to the gym, so you end up not exercising at all. Any physical activity is better than nothing, and just by adding some kind of activity in your routine can have a profound effect on your mental and emotional health.
  • Take the first step. Find small ways to walk more. Instead of sitting at your desk all day, take small but frequent walk breaks. Don’t eat lunch at your desk—get out and walk during that time. Use the stairs instead of the elevator whenever you can. When you drive, park further away from where you are going, and then walk the rest of the way. If you commute get off one stop early and walk the rest of the way.
  • Find a workout partner.  When you have another person that you can walk, workout, or plan an activity with, you are going to be much less likely to give up on your goals. You can also build some momentum by telling others of your fitness goals and journey, so they can motivate you and keep you on track when you need.