living an active life

For the majority of my life I approached exercise with an "all or nothing" mentality. I would either be spending hours in the gym doing high intensity, boot-camp style classes, or completely avoiding any form of movement. I realize now that I was associating exercise with a form of punishment and chasing unrealistic goals.

But nothing that I approach from a place of fear and judgment is going to be enjoyable. This mentality was actually limiting me from just appreciating my body and finding movement that works for me. Once I really stopped to listen to my body I was able to find movement I enjoy and I didn't have to spend countless hours in the gym.

There are plenty of opportunities to be active throughout our day, even if you are spending the majority of it behind a computer. It's about finding those small opportunities to get your body moving; taking the stairs, walking during your lunch break, even trying out a free online workout  videos in your living room.

Once you shift your mindset to one of pursing an active life, the opportunities to do so will become apparent.

So why should you desire an active life rather than one of punishing workouts? Truth is high intense workouts that we push ourselves to do may be causing more harm than good. Adding in grueling workouts on top of an already stressful life can lead to adrenal exhaustion in where the body is tired behind the point of needing a couple rest days here and there.

Adrenal fatigue is an all too common incidence in our society as we strive for perfection and fail to listen to our bodies when we need a break. When you reach this level of exhaustion the adrenals function below their ability and the adrenals affect most major bodily systems. Symptoms of adrenal fatigue are extreme exhaustion, inability to fall asleep, intense food cravings, anxiety, and various others.

While some stress is important in the body, our society lives in one that values business and never-ending to-do lists. But the  body will eventually take a toll and lose its ability to function at its best. It is possible to heal the adrenals back to a healthy place with lots of rest and adequate nutrition. But all too easy to fall back into exhaustion if we continue to push ourselves past our limits. That's why I believe it is best to rethink exercising and what it means to our overall health. Learning to follow our intention in what movement feels good.

Exercise is still part of a healthy lifestyle, so how should you go about finding what makes you happy?

Ask yourself what type of exercise you truly enjoy, without judgment. 

For me, this is taking long walks. Exploring a new part of my neighborhood, walking a familiar path, or relying on my legs to be my main form of transportation. In the past I would have never thought of walking as an adequate exercise. But truthfully, it's an incredibly healthy form of movement and won't leave you feeling drained.

Maybe for you it is bike riding, swimming, or dancing. Whatever gets you moving, and feeling happy, relish in that thing.

And another important point to note is ask yourself why. Why are you dragging yourself to the gym even though you are exhausted? Not everyone is built to be a fitness model or olympic athlete. Start to uncover your reasons for pushing your body to an unhealthy place and focus on accepting where you are.

Listen to your body when it needs rest.

Is it difficult for you to wake up in the morning or focus on your work during the day? Are you still sore from that workout you did 3 days ago? Signs of exhaustion are red flags that you need to scale back and take some rest. Maybe you only do 2 high intensity classes a week and pursue lighter movement such as yoga or walking the other days.

Taking rest and recovery time shouldn't be something that elicits guilt, rather a necessary activity for a healthy life. For me I know I had to take a couple months from my usual 4 gym class a week schedule so I could start feeling like myself again. I was pushing my body to an unhealthy place and I needed space to identify what it would take to feel good again.

Fuel your body properly.

If high intense workouts really are what you enjoy then you need to make sure you are properly fueling yourself. Contrary to what we were taught, under-eating and overexercising won't lead to that "perfect" body. This will have the complete opposite affect on our  body and lead to adrenal exhaustion and possibly irreversible damage.

The body needs nutrient dense foods that include fats, protein and carbs. I detail in this post the importance of having a balanced diet, encompassing all the macro and micro nutrients. Food is fuel and we should be replenishing the body, especially if we are wanting to engage in intense workouts.

A trend that has come into society as of recent is the demonization of carbs and blaming them as the reason for weight gain. But the body needs carbs, especially women, for healthy hormone production and energy. Carbohydrates provide that energy we all need to function at our best. There are plenty of healthy carb options, such as starchy vegetables and fruits, to make sure are included at every meal. Play around with what level works for you but don't cut them out completely. Most women even thrive on a higher carb diet.

It all comes back to finding what works for you and not comparing that to the latest fitness craze or someone with a large social media following. We are all different and our lifestyles will be unique to our needs.

So take rest days, maybe even a rest month, and eat plenty of nutrient-dense foods, to uncover your natural energy and happiness. Healthy exercise, and proper recovery, can co-exist in an active life.