Moving Your Body
BY : SHELBY MILLER
Have you ever experienced a runner’s high? Not gonna lie..I’m not sure how far you have to run to get the high, but I have never made it that far. I do not enjoy running at all, but I have experienced the benefits of consistently moving my body. We like the phrase “move your body” because that’s what is really important, that you move your body. It doesn’t matter how you do it, how you look doing it, or how fast you do it, what’s important is movement!
Two things I love about movement:
- It impacts every part of us. It can affect us physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually.
- It’s free!! Of course you can spend lots of money on gym memberships and apps and trainers and equipment, but walking is free, youtube videos are free, stretching is free!
I want to quickly share five ways that moving your body can positively affect you and then leave you with a little challenge:
- An object in motion, stays in motion: moving your body helps you to maintain movement meaning that you stay mobile, flexible, and strong for years to come. Regular physical activity can have a huge impact on aging. A study by Harvard even found that every hour of exercise extends your life by two hours. Who doesn’t love a good BOGO?? One hour of walking means two extra hours with your spouse, your kids, and your grandkids.
- Aerobic exercise (jogging/swimming/yoga/running/walking/cycling/dancing) affects something in your brain called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. This area of the brain talks to several other parts of the brain that control our mood, motivation, memory, and how we respond to stress. Moving our body literally changes the entire chemistry of our brains!
- Exercise helps us sleep! Research has shown that moderate exercise, which can be as simple as a brisk walk, can enhance sleep quality. It is even being used for treatment in disease processes like sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome. Good sleep then leads to many other physical and mental health benefits.
- Exercise can improve self esteem and socialization! Studies show that adults that regularly participate in moderate exercise have higher self esteem and are more likely to socialize. Both of these things can also lead to decreases in mental illnesses like depression and anxiety.
- Moving your body can prevent disease! Studies have shown that any kind of moderate activity decreases the chances of death from any cause (all-cause mortality) by 33%. There is even research showing that going from “inactive” to “insufficiently active” can decrease disease significantly!
Woah! So I think we can agree, moving our bodies is important and worth it! Chances are you knew it was important, but maybe you are like me and can often feel intimidated, out of place, or even overwhelmed by the idea of moving your body. I already told you that I am not a runner. I played sports growing up, but have honestly struggled with my weight and body image for pretty much as long as I can remember. That being said, walking into a gym or a spin class or even running in my neighborhood can feel really intimidating and vulnerable for me. I’ve walked into the gym in January and felt like everyone was watching my every move. “They all know this is your new years resolution..again” I would tell myself. If you have had those thoughts, I see you, and I understand how isolating that can be. But can I tell you something else? You are worthy of all those benefits I just listed. We cannot let the lying voice in our head keep us from sleeping better, feeling better, being less anxious, and spending more years on this earth with those we love.
So what’s the answer? Move.
That’s it…move your body. A little at a time until the imposter syndrome wears off, and you can proudly run around your neighborhood or walk in to that spin class. I’m committed to starting small with you! Committed to moving my body because I’m worth it. We’ve created this little habit tracker just for us, the ones starting small. The ones saying yes to feeling better and yes to fighting for ourselves. We will start with walking 30 minutes a day and drinking 3 glasses of water every day!
This might seem simple and ineffective, but we’ve learned that rhythms are more sustainable than lofty goals, and small beginnings are something to be proud of. We also left a space for you to add two other habits, but don’t feel pressured to add those just yet! Lastly, in the space at the bottom, write down why you are doing this! For your kids, for your mental health, for yourself. When habits are hard, always remember your why!
We’re in this with you.
Now, let’s move.
