We all have definitions of "exercise" and what it entails. But what if we just shook out the boundaries of "exercise" and opened up possibilities? What might you do if we made it... FUN?! A new way to think about starting exercise is waiting for you in this short episode.
Trying to get healthy and stay healthy is f-ing hard! Everybody struggles with some aspect of it, no matter what they look like or what they tell you. There is no magic formula - a healthy lifestyle is a choice we need to make daily. Join Amy as she supports, informs, and entertains you on your journey toward health.
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[00:00:02] Hey, I'm Amy Chang.
[00:00:07] I'm a nationally board certified health and wellness coach, and this is Healthy AF.
[00:00:16] In this podcast, I'll be bringing you all things health from the newest health strategies to how to tackle those personal roadblocks that just will not let you move forward.
[00:00:27] So buckle in.
[00:00:28] We're going to be inspired and instructed and dad gum we're going to have a little fun on Healthy AF.
[00:00:34] Hey there everybody and thanks for joining me on Healthy AF.
[00:00:39] As you know it is movement May and I am bringing to you all the good stuff I know about movement.
[00:00:47] It's one of my all time favorite things to do.
[00:00:50] In fact, you might hear some childhood stories.
[00:00:54] They could be slightly embarrassing, but I think they may move the needle forward and give us sort of what's the point.
[00:01:01] I think it might move us forward.
[00:01:03] So today I just want to bring up the idea of thinking about exercise.
[00:01:10] Everybody says we need to exercise.
[00:01:13] Oh my God, I got to exercise.
[00:01:15] I should be exercising.
[00:01:16] I used to exercise a long time ago, but now I don't.
[00:01:19] You know we've got all kinds of exercise guidelines.
[00:01:24] It's exercise, exercise, exercise.
[00:01:25] Well to me that just spells boring.
[00:01:27] B-O-R-I-N-G boring right?
[00:01:32] A lot of times we get stuck in our head that we have to exercise.
[00:01:37] But if you're especially if you're sedentary, you just got to move.
[00:01:44] It's a little bit of movement.
[00:01:46] And once we start moving our bodies, then they're typically more willing to do some more structured exercise.
[00:01:56] So when I think about working with my clients, if they are completely sedentary, exercise might be hate.
[00:02:06] Why don't you just like move around a little bit more?
[00:02:09] Maybe instead of picking up your mail from your car at the end of your driveway and then pulling in, you pull in, walk out to the driveway and pick up the mail.
[00:02:21] Right?
[00:02:22] It's the little things that you can do to add in movement.
[00:02:26] Here's the other thing.
[00:02:28] Exercise doesn't have to be in the gym 30 minutes on a treadmill or an aerobics class at the aerobic studio.
[00:02:38] It doesn't have to be that.
[00:02:40] It can be dance.
[00:02:42] It can be pickleball.
[00:02:44] It can be a walk with a friend in the mornings.
[00:02:48] It could be a walk with your dog.
[00:02:50] It could be 10 squats in your bathroom waiting for your shower to warm up.
[00:02:59] Right?
[00:03:00] There are so many other ways to get exercise.
[00:03:04] It can be yard work.
[00:03:06] I've recently been rebuilding my deck and taking those big 12-foot pieces of lumber above my head to get them out of my truck and put them in the yard.
[00:03:21] That was some really great exercise, had all that upper body going.
[00:03:26] So particularly if you are sedentary and looking to institute an exercise plan, shake the concrete out of your brain.
[00:03:35] Exercise doesn't necessarily mean tie on your runners, go on the treadmill for 30 minutes while you're staring at a blank wall and board out of your ever-loving mind.
[00:03:46] It could mean something different, something more fun.
[00:03:50] My mind always goes to dance.
[00:03:52] I don't know why that is.
[00:03:54] I do know why that is.
[00:03:56] Here's the perfect example.
[00:03:58] My third grade teacher called my mama one day from school.
[00:04:02] He was very concerned and she was concerned that she was getting a call from my teacher.
[00:04:06] Typically, I got the too much talking on my report card but I didn't get the call from the teacher as necessary on my report card.
[00:04:18] So he calls her and she's like, yeah what's going on?
[00:04:21] And he said, well I'm just really concerned about Amy.
[00:04:24] Well why is that?
[00:04:26] This was third grade who says because when we were out playing kickball, she was dancing around on second base.
[00:04:34] And I said to her, Amy, why are you dancing?
[00:04:38] And she said sometimes the dance just has to come out.
[00:04:42] So imagine if we thought of exercise as oh sometimes this joy movement weirdness just has to come out.
[00:04:54] If we can cultivate that, can you imagine how much motivation you don't have to use to just let it bubble out?
[00:05:04] So when you start thinking about exercise, what is it that bubbles out?
[00:05:09] Is it horseback riding? Is it gardening? Is it volunteering?
[00:05:19] Is it walking on the side of the road and picking up trash for a couple hours?
[00:05:23] You know, what is it?
[00:05:26] And if you can get there then you're not having to drag yourself in to do something that's mindless that you don't like anyway.
[00:05:36] That's a great place to start.
[00:05:40] You should enjoy it.
[00:05:43] Here's another way to look at it.
[00:05:45] One thing I see is when people are exercising this look on their face.
[00:05:51] I don't know if you've ever seen it.
[00:05:55] It's just this horrible like I've been constipated for three weeks and I'm angry about it look.
[00:06:03] They hate what they are doing.
[00:06:09] That's not why we exercise man.
[00:06:13] So you want to think about like your stress level when you're exercising.
[00:06:18] If when you're exercising, you're so annoyed or pissed off or comparing yourself to all the other people in there and you can't believe that you're having to do this
[00:06:30] or you know you're just a victim to the trainer or you're not good enough or you're leaving defeated.
[00:06:38] Some of that physical exercise benefits might not come to you because of the cortisol spiking.
[00:06:45] You're getting while you're in the gym.
[00:06:47] So I'd encourage you to have fun and enjoy whatever movement or exercise you're going to do.
[00:06:56] It's going to just add up and have that synergistic feeling of everything is just right.
[00:07:03] You're getting rid of the stress, not putting yourself in a stressful situation.
[00:07:07] You're moving your body. You're opening up your lungs. You're asking your heart to beat.
[00:07:12] So think about those things as you go into movement may as you look at what is exercise.
[00:07:21] How can I do it and have fun and enjoy it and look like pumped if you want to look pumped?
[00:07:27] I know I do.
[00:07:30] Give yourself some grace and like and share this podcast and we'll see you soon.
[00:07:37] Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the Healthier AF Podcast.
[00:07:44] I hope that it has helped you create a new possibility for your health and sets you into action to go get it.
[00:07:52] If you want more information or if you want to connect with me, visit my website at myhealthilylife.coach
[00:07:59] and don't forget to hit the subscribe button so that each new healthy AF episode will be sent directly to you.
[00:08:07] Let's take you from where you are to where you want to go.
[00:08:35] Visit us out online at themesh.tv.
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