Got ya! We would never tell you to stop stretching 🙂 But what we are going to talk more about is instead of thinking “workout” or “stretching” thinking about the greater meaning behind movement and how we can truly connect with our mind, body, and spirit (yes, we are going real healer vudu on you today!)
Movement for most people starts off with a physical goal in mind…what we hear the most of at Klasik Fit is…
“I want to be more toned”
“I want to lose weight”
“I have a vacation coming up and I want to look good in a bathing suit”
“I have had the hardest time gaining weight I really want to build muscle”
But rarely do we hear…
“I want to workout to feel less stressed”
“I want to find movement that makes me happy and gives me purpose”
“I want to feel empowered, strong, and happy”
“I want to find a new hobby and something I enjoy that’s good for me”
Now whatever your motivating factor is for fitness, that is ok. We are not here to tell you that you shouldn’t have physical goals in mind, but what if we considered the greater transformation that fitness and movement has in our life?
I once talked to a gentleman that was looking for personal training services. He had injuries and chronic pain which hindered him from being able to walk without assistance. I asked him “What is the most important thing you are looking to get out of working with us?” and he said “You know, this might sound weird but I’m jealous of the people that get to go to the grocery store so I’d like to be able to walk without assistance into a grocery store and carry my groceries into the house by myself”.
To be honest, I never considered myself lucky to be able to walk into a grocery store, but now every time I go I think of this man. Things that we don’t think about that we are able to do on a day to day basis that we are so lucky and blessed to have while others are striving to be in your shoes. That client is someone that sticks in my mind every time I think about being grateful for what my body can do for me every day. So what and how can we strive to find the greater meaning behind fitness?
Movement does not just impact the way we look, but the way we feel (physically, mentally, and emotionally). A lot of the time we think that movement can “hurt” us, let’s say if you suffer with knee or lower back pain, when in reality it can actually heal us or at least reduce pain. By moving effectively, you can live a longer life and experience less pain. Now you might be 20 something reading this saying “I have no pain” but trust me, once you start sitting in front of that computer screen for 8 hours and wake up the next morning with the worst knot in your neck you have ever felt, you will remember this, because movement can help with that 🙂
Giving yourself the time to disconnect from your daily stresses can reduce overall stress, anxiety, and depression. Movement releases serotonin into our brains telling us we are happy! And I don’t know about you, but I need all of that I can get. Now I challenge you, next time you’re really into a fitness class or personal training session, close your eyes for a second, and imagine pure happiness, joy, and peace. What does that look like for you? Then open your eyes. Sometimes it takes that short moment of disconnecting and having these simple yet effective thoughts that will carry on with you to the next day.
Some of my best thoughts come to me when I’m working out. I can wake up so tired, so cloudy, and not sure how I will get through my day. Then I start moving and 15 minutes in, I have the best idea I’ve ever had in my life! So I race to my office and start typing away. Having that moment to wake up and warm your body up gives you energy that you would have never found by just rolling out of bed, barely brushing your teeth, and jumping straight into that 9am work call with your boss that’s going on and on about a new project you’re not excited about.
Finally, you might hear some yogi’s talk about this “mind body connection”. What the heck does this even mean?! Mind body connection is the concept that physical health and emotional health are intertwined to become one thing. When we are stressed out at work, you could develop an illness, such as some sort of stomach problem. Our mind is connected to our body and by having control of our mind, we are able to control some of our health outcomes. Now, trust me, I deal with anxiety just like you so I get it…not always easy to “control” or “calm down”. But being aware and looking for ways (such as movement) to manage and gain better control of it, is the first step to creating that mind body connection.
So whatever you read on the internet, “Take yoga to open up your hips” or “HIIT burns the most calories”, maybe instead we find movement that makes us feel connected and something we truly enjoy to do consistently without the pressure of a physical result but a much deeper reason and connection.