The "E" Word

Take down all the lights and remove all the Christmas songs from the radio. You can do this, yet I can still FEEL the holiday season is upon us. The hustle, the bustle, a little road-rage here, a little push-and-shove at Kohl’s there. There’s no other time that as Americans, we get so excited for Christmas, yet we act like lunatics and dread much of what leads up to it.

Last week I wrote about stress, and I gave you a list of coping mechanisms.  I said the “E” word, and the entire earth tilted on its axis—I totally felt it—due to the centripetal force of the simultaneous eye roll of every “bah humbugger” out there—the very second I mentioned “exercise”. 

You know how when young kids are curious and ask “why?” after every conversation you have with them? It can be truly frustrating, but children are trying to process the world around them and are expanding their critical thinking skills when they ask questions. Knowing the “why” helps them make sense of things.  Knowing the “why” can be a motivator for change.

Let’s get to the bottom of WHY exercise can help you cope with stress.

Endorphins are chemicals in the brain that act as natural pain killers. Sometimes endorphins are referred to as the “feel good” chemicals in the brain. Who WOULDN’T want to be in a euphoric state of wellbeing? Meditation, acupuncture, massage, deep breathing, and EXERCISE can all produce endorphins. Bring on the deadlifts!

Our bodies are NOT meant to star in the Couch Potato Diaries. They are meant to MOVE. They are meant to MOVE OFTEN. Physical activity improves blood flow, and, in turn, improves the body’s ability to use the oxygen in the blood more efficiently. Exercise promotes body focus (engage that core!) and can take your mind off worries. It forces you to focus on a task, which calms a racing mind and brings clarity. Muscles and bones are strengthened, immunity is heightened, blood pressure and cholesterol levels are reduced, and with an added boost of natural energy, sleep is much improved. No one wants to tackle the worries of today on top of distress over poor health.  And finally, nothing beats that boost in self-image when you walk by the mirror with six-pack abs and those buns of steel!

150 minutes of moderate exercise, five days a week, with two of those days focused on strength and resistance is the American Heart Association’s (AHA) recommendation for exercise. Before you give the AHA the stink eye, know that small spurts of exercise during the day have nearly the same benefits as a bulk timeframe. It is absolutely essential to choose movement that you enjoy, or the chance of you sticking with it is very slim. There are SO many ways to keep your body in motion.  Keep trying until you find something you love, and then keep doing it! Meanwhile, park as far away from the store as you can to increase your walking (you probably don’t have a choice here at this time of year!) Invest in a good deodorant and take the steps to the 27^th floor at work instead of the elevator (ok, ok…a little excessive.  But you get the point.) Increase your steps in your home by not taking everything up at one time—increase your trips up the stairs! Set a timer on your smartphone or watch for every couple of hours, then do a round of 10 squats, jumping jacks, and pushups against the wall.  Your coworkers and children that think you are weird? Invite them to join you. Buddies help (and will cheer your deodorant investment), but you can only rely on YOU to make positive changes for yourself, so don’t rest the responsibility of your wellness on someone else’s ability to stay motivated.

Talk to your doc if you are new to exercise, but chances are he will give you the thumbs-up at your efforts to get healthy and maintain optimum wellness!

Get your sweat on, and kick the stress OUT…so you can…

Be Well!