There are endless articles about self improvement or healthy lifestyles, or diets, or exercise regimes and many of them are sponsored by, or advertise, the major lifestyle brands that cash in on our dis-satisfaction. Conspiracy theorists out there please feel free to wonder if companies who stand to profit by making us feel bad about ourselves might perhaps not be best placed to offer advice on feeling better....but that is an aside, the point is that what there is a lack of is stuff that you can do for free, so that is what I am going to try to do here. All I ask in return is that if you find anything particularly useful, or have your own ideas, link them up here and let me know. What we need is a decent resource and a community that helps each other without alterior motive! So, on with this first article.
One of the quickest and easiest and most accessible ways of feeling a little better about yourself is to take exercise. This is medically proven fact. Taking exercise increases the amounts of dopamine and endorphins released in the brain and these chemicals are associated with pleasure and stimulation. They are the reason that some people can become addicted to exercise. They act to lift you mood slightly and to give you a very slight high. If this is the case, why are we not all super fit exercise freaks? It is a good question to which there isn't one clear answer. Some people will tell you that it is because we have as a society become lazy, but this doesn't seem right to me. It could be that we are all so tired after the amount of work, or stress if we are out of work that we have to deal with, but again this should be an argument for more exercise, not less, as it would help to increase our energy levels and decrease our stress levels. It could simply be a question of time, but again, it doesn't take more than about five minutes to take a little exercise so that seems incorrect to. I think it is almost certainly a combination of several of these reasons, and a few more each playing a part in making us less and less likely to start exercising.
Another big factor is of course motivation. We see this every year around this time as one by one our New Year resolutions slip away and we return to old habits. This is part of the reason for hoping that people will share their experiences and discoveries on these blog posts, because the very best way of retaining motivation is to be a part of a group that offers support and motivation to each other. Knowing that you are not alone can be a tremendous help. So in that spirit, let me tell you how I am introducing a little exercise back into my life. I wanted to work on my arms and shoulders as they have been becoming increasingly stiff and sore as I age, the after effects of too much high level sport in my youth I guess, but anyway, I can't afford a gym membership, and have body image issues that make exercising in public difficult so I am starting small. I take a can of beans in each hand and gently do a few biceps curls, you know, when you bend your arm at the elbow lifting your hand up? I do this during an ad break when I watching the morning news and again in the evening. Just about five minutes each time, but after a week the difference is quite remarkable. My arms hurt less and I am actually looking forward to doing my exercises a little. I am also sleeping a little better, which could be coincidence, but may not be, we will have to see.
So, come on folks, roll up roll up, lets here how you are doing with your heathy start to this Olympic year. Lets see if we can get a little group of mutual supporters going to make this a year to remember.....
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