Taking care of ourselves

We all talk about it – taking care of ourselves first so we can care for others. But what does that actually look like in reality? When our fitness goals require training over the holidays, putting ourselves first (or even second, third, fourth!) can prove to be incredibly challenging. With so many time constraints surrounding this time of year, stress is almost inevitable. With that being said, what can we do to combat the stress? Is there a way we can lower our threshold for having an absolute panic attack during Christmas dinner or the road trip to see Grandma and Grandpa? YES. Absolutely.

Getting Started

And the best part? That doesn’t mean you have to sign up for a fancy gym or train for an Ironman. Research has shown that regular exercise (30-40 minutes low intensity a day) can decrease blood pressure, improve cholesterol, and decrease emotional stress. Emotional stress can be associated with elevated blood pressure, cardiac arrythmias, and even depression. It seems that even when most of us know that exercise has the potential to benefit us in many ways, we don’t take the first step. Why is that?

In my humble opinion, the difficulty in beginning an exercise regimen is simple: intimidation . It’s all over the place – social media influencers with the ‘perfect’ bodies and/or workout routines that feel unattainable, or at the very least unsustainable. Where are the influencers that are promoting sustainable changes? I’m here! Although I am definitely NOT an influencer…so do with that what you will. There’s a saying….’Rome wasn’t built in a day’. Most of us have heard of it, and it’s probably overused to a certain extent. But honestly, it’s TRUE. Literally (obviously) and figuratively. Why would we start with a complex fitness regimen? That sure seems like a recipe for disaster, injury, and disappointment to me. We have to work up to a high level of fitness – and that takes time! No if’s and’s or but’s about it. This requires one thing: patience, determination, and belief in yourself.

And let me be absolutely clear – there is NO SHAME in starting from the bottom. We all have at one point or another…sometimes I think people just forget that part of it. If the goal is to begin and maintain an exercise regimen, it’s best to start small. In the beginning, you will see the most change – because your body is just learning what this whole exercise thing is all about. Starting with something that you know you can stick to (and that isn’t too intimidating!), is the best thing to do in this scenario because you will likely be the most consistent with it. Everyone is different, so if you need help, reach out to me here and I can help with a personalized plan for you!

Making exercise work for you

When starting, 30 minutes of intentional activity could be all it takes for you to benefit. By intentional movement, I am referring to activity where you are engaged and focused on continuous movement. If that means walking around the block 5 times, so be it. Start with something that you feel is attainable and convenient for you in your season of life – whether that means going to the gym, park, walking your dog around the block. Make it work for YOU.

The entire point of this is to decrease stress for you during the holidays. We only have so many years with our loved ones and it doesn’t feel quite right to be stressed or frustrated if we can help it. Maybe this is not the time to go on a die hard diet and cut a bunch of calories, but rather a time for gentle movement and exercise that helps us take personal time as well as benefit us physically and emotionally.

I am a firm believer that we are all so much stronger than we give ourselves credit for. There’s hidden layers in us that we often times just have never accessed, and to find those layers we have to get out of our comfort zones. I believe in you. I’m here to help. Let’s get started!