Working out, exercising, keeping fit and maintaining an active lifestyle; terms we are all familiar with for overall well-being and health.
A key point that many may miss out on is that exercising isn’t just an hour at the gym, a certain dedicated workout program, or even a specific time frame. Equally so, a life filled with manual labour activity throughout the day doesn’t necessarily guarantee a healthy body or mind.
So what is the best way to work out or exercise?
The stereotype of exercise and workout often turns off the people who either have a busy life full of manual labour, who have never had a welcoming experience into the typical structured exercise lifestyle (or have residual trauma from high school gym class), or just simply don’t have an interest in that type of activity.
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Exercise doesn’t require a gym, a certain time frame or even a program to participate in. Movement or exercise can be done anywhere, any time, in any length or sequence. It might be one movement or exercises here and there throughout the day. It might be a few minutes of stretching at the beginning and end of your day. It might be specific movements you know help with common aches and pains. Perhaps it’s a walk after dinner, in the morning, or a run a few times a week. It might be a bike ride with the family or a horseback ride, and it could be five minutes or 120 minutes.
What matters more than anything is that it’s intentional time set aside to take care of yourself via movement or activity.
The culture of working out, gyms, and various methods of exercise can be helpful in the sense that they give plenty of variety and opportunity to find something you find enjoyable and sustainable for your particular lifestyle.
What healthy living really comes down to is a balance between our busy work and family schedules and intentional time for taking care of ourselves through movement we enjoy and makes us feel good, and of course other healthy lifestyle practices.
Tips for people considering adding healthy, intentional movement include:
- Experiment: Follow what makes you curious and see where it takes you. Gentle yoga, walking groups (if you enjoy the company of others), or your local gym’s exercise class are excellent places to start. If budget is an issue, YouTube is a great resource for exercise guidance. Many yoga instructors and personal trainers post free resources for all fitness levels. Can’t find any? Send me an email and I’ll give you some links.
- Keep it simple: Take 10 minutes in your day to go for a walk outdoors, move your body for one minute at a time, focus on your breathing for 30 seconds twice a day, or treat yourself to a consult with a local health and fitness professional who can give you some starter guidance and ideas. Exercise is whatever gets you intentionally paying attention to what your body can do and finding ways to enjoy it!
