(Day 3): Break-A-Sweat to Beat Stress
Can I be honest first and foremost with you? I’m terrible at this right now.
I used to be super into fitness and athletics. But then, kids happened. Ya know? Or in general, life happened.
Things always seem too crazy or too busy or too everything to squeeze this item into my already overwhelming packed day. It almost feels stressful just thinking about trying to add it in. Sounds kind of counter opposite to reducing stress and anxiety in our lives, right?
But then I was doing this research on anxiety. And I continued to be bombarded with statistics and research concluding the constant #1 tip to reducing anxiety is… yep, you guessed it. Exercise.
Before you skip over this one because you feel like it’s a lost cause, I want to encourage you with what else I found on this topic.
Guess what the good news is? Exercise doesn’t mean preparing for a marathon. It doesn’t mean spending 2 hours at the gym either.
You can receive benefits on reducing the anxiety in your life by simply incorporating 10-15 minutes of low-impact exercise into your daily life.
It could be a 15 minute walk in your neighborhood.
It could be 15 minutes of yoga or pilates.
It could be 15 minutes of swimming.
It could be 15 minutes of dancing.
Heck, it could even be 15 minutes of sex! (Okay, that part I made up).
Seriously though, it doesn’t have to be anything super rigorous or super time consuming. But you still need to fit it in and make time for it at least 5 days per week (the minimum recommendation to really reduce anxiety). The key is consistency, not how many pounds at the gym you can pump.
I know what your thinking… “I don’t even have 15 minute to spare!” But I guarantee spending 15 minutes of focused exercise will be worth it because you will be MORE productive with your day or evening or whatever is next on your agenda to accomplish.
So I’m challenging myself and YOU today to incorporate just 15 minutes of some form of exercise that seems doable into your schedule. Make it an easy goal to start. And try to do it everyday. Don’t make it so difficult you already feel overwhelmed at the thought of it. Baby steps. I’m telling myself to do this as much as I’m telling you. Set aside the time to do it. Don’t just say, “well, when I have some down time in my schedule I will do it,” otherwise it will never happen.
I could go into so much more detail about why exercise is so important, but I’m pretty sure society (and google) has done a good job of informing us of the benefits of exercise on SO many levels. It’s no longer optional anymore. Especially since it doesn’t require you to spend hours at the gym in order to receive its multiple benefits. Just start with a 15 minute walk everyday and your done! Piece-o-cake! (Except, you might actually want to skip the cake… more on healthy eating later to reduce anxiety as well!)
Pen it into your calendar. Make it a priority. Soon it won’t even feel like a burden, and in return, you will feel more energized, have a clearer mind, and kick anxiety to the curb.
Come back tomorrow for Day 4’s tip on Overcoming Anxiety! It’s far more fun and one you may not have known the reasons why its so good at reducing anxiety!
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