Q&A WITH AMY JOHNSON
Question:
What would be your top 3 tips for starting to connect more to the present?
10 TOP REASONS TO START FITNESS NOW
Working out has bountiful benefits for both your body and your mind – something that’s extra important right post pandemic. Exercise means different things to different people, if you’re like many of us, your workout routine probably looks pretty different and serves different purposes than it did pre-pandemic over a year ago. Regardless of how you’re incorporating movement into your new normal, the benefits of exercise still remain.
Circumstances may have had an impact on your feeling towards fitness; a drop in your level, a lack of motivation to (re)start, anxiety towards social situations you can’t shake? We’re here to say cut yourself some slack and try experimenting with different forms of movement that make you feel good.
Sometimes "getting fit" just doesn't cut it in the motivation department so if you need a pep talk as to why movement is more important now than ever, here they are;
FIGHTS MOST MAJOR DISEASES
Breast cancer, heart attacks, high blood pressure, stroke, hypertension, diabetes…and following a pandemic need we say more about the importance of health? Unlike medications, exercise seems to be one of the most natural ways to keep healthy against most illnesses.
DOPAMINE OVER DRINKS
You may have returned to socialising a little heavy so here’s your new fix — exercise. In response to any form of pleasure the brain releases the “reward chemical” and exercise kicks off a considerable wave of dopamine. Get some healthy satisfaction.
BOOST YOUR CONFIDENCE
On a very basic level, physical fitness can boost self-esteem and improve positive self-image, regardless of weight, size, gender, or age, exercise can quickly elevate a person’s perception of their attractiveness. Exercise is your way of reminding yourself how strong you are and that's beautiful.
MANAGE STRESS & ANXIETY
Exercise provides some serious mental benefits, regardless of your age or fitness level (this includes everyone from mall walkers to marathoners). Working up a sweat can help you manage physical and mental stress by increasing concentrations of norepinephrine, a chemical that can moderate your brain’s response to stress and boost your body’s ability to deal with existing mental tension.
Research has shown that in people with major depression, exercise can increase the chance of remission by 22 percent by circulating endorphins.
CREATE STRUCTURE
Exercise can play a huge role here: starting or finishing your day with a workout can help you charge up or transition out of work mode. Following the unstructured chaos of lockdown life, creating structure is incredibly important and create clarity in your mind.
IT WARDS OF WRINKLES
Throw away the expensive creams because research presented by the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine last year suggests that people in their 40s who exercised frequently (at least three hours of moderate to vigorous activity a week) had similar skin compositions as people in their 20s and 30s when examined microscopically.
HAPPY HORMONES
Endorphins make you happy, less stressed and have more patience which in turn will assist in a better balance of work and home life. By engaging in frequent exercise couples have reported to feel more satisfaction with each other and greater intimacy.
BOOSTS BRAIN POWER
Even mild activity like a leisurely walk can help keep your brain fit and active, fending off memory loss and keeping skills like vocabulary retrieval strong. As we get older, our brains get a little… hazy and a Neurology study has suggested that high levels of cardio activity at a younger age (18 to 30) improved participants' cognitive abilities 25 years later. The chemicals that support and prevent the degeneration of your hippocampus, an important part of your brain for memory and learning, is boosted by working out. That's our cue to get moving.
BOOST CREATIVITY
A heart-pumping gym session can boost creativity and spontaneous thinking, next time you need a burst of creative thinking; hit the treads, pool or barre! Thank us later for the pay rise ;)
SHRINK FAT CELLS
An oldie but a goodie. The body uses both carbohydrates and fats as energy sources during your workouts resulting in the reduction of fat cell size in the abdomen.
Researchers conducted a study that included 45 obese women who were randomly assigned to three groups
• reduced calorie intake.
• reduced calorie intake plus moderate walking three days per week.
• reduced calorie intake plus intense walking three days per week.
After 20 weeks all 3 groups lost weight and body fat, however the key difference was that women in both groups that exercised experienced an 18 percent reduction in the size of the abdominal fat cells, whereas the non-exercisers experienced no change.
We would love to hear your thoughts! Send us a DM on Instagram @peoplesplacegym.
BACK TO TOP
WHY EVERY ATHLETE SHOULD READ “THE POWER OF NOW”
When Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now “a guide to spiritual enlightenment” is observed through athletes' eyes, recreational or professional, in a sports mindset, many of the ideas can help improve the mental element of your performance. The book leads readers on a journey to find peace in the present moment through discovering their true self.
There are 5 key takeaways from this book that can relate directly with your training program, competition training, when searching for motivation to move a little more or push a little harder. When properly practised you’ll remain engaged and proactive in your fitness journey.
THE PRESENT MOMENT
“Realise deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. There was never a time when your life was not now, nor will there ever be.”
The use of the term “now” does not imply forgetting the past but more about unlocking the full potential within the present moment, understanding that it is the only opportunity you have to maximise your next move, be it the next lift, sprint, or yoga pose - don’t let the past of the fear of failure in the future moments affect the most important moment, the one right now which has an immediate effect on that future moment.
BECOME AND OBSERVER OF YOUR MIND
“With the acknowledgment and acceptance of the facts also comes a degree of freedom from them…When you know you are not at peace, your knowing creates a still space that surrounds your non peace in a loving and tender embrace and then transmutes your non peace into peace.”
When negative thoughts arise during your workout, the idea that “you are not your mind” can be useful. When performing at your maximum ability negativity and doubt can quickly creep in. Rather than feeding these thoughts with panic, try to acknowledge and observe their presence with a deep breath. By becoming ‘an observer’ of the emotion, you become aware of the negativity that is trying to take over and hopefully you will experience a degree of separation which in turn will allow you to focus on the present.
FEAR OF FAILURE
“Any action is often better than no action…If it is a mistake, at least you learn something, in which case it’s no longer a mistake.”
Within an athlete lifestyle, fear of taking a risk and failing is prevalent. Whether it is missing a goal or just not feeling capable at your first barre class. Understanding that you are always able to cope with your present moment, releasing the fear of failure will give you a feeling of freedom that will encourage you to take chances, push a little harder and then regardless of success or ‘failure’ you’ll certainly feel powerful as you control your moment and learn along the way!
FUTURE
‘‘One day I’ll make it.’ Is your goal taking up so much of your attention that you reduce the present moment to a means to an end?”
Having aspirations of performing at your best and to become the fittest, strongest, leanest version of yourself is the nature of training and part of the game. Development and progression are two key focuses for recreational or professional athletes, no matter if it's finding the motivation to start on a fitness journey, progress to your next phase or beat a PB.
Your goals only become problematic when they take away from the joy of the process and your everyday life. Being able to stay in the “now” and appreciate what it is that you’re doing will make your journey to a goal far more fulfilling and you’ll complete each day with satisfaction.
We would love to hear your thoughts! Send us a DM on Instagram @peoplesplacegym.