I wanted to talk a bit about your body and how it actually craves exercise. Not only does exercise kick up your metabolism, release endorphins, and move your lymph, it also has the ability to shift your energy. Think about a situation that had you really pissy recently. It could be a relationship issue, a job issue, even an "I don't want to live like this anymore!" issue. Whatever it is, allow yourself to feel into it for a moment. You may notice that just bringing it up has the ability to shift your breathing (it usually becomes more shallow), tighten your muscles/chest/belly (can you feel the contraction?), and spark a tirade inside your head (do you see the spiraling of thoughts?). These are normal reactions to stress, frustration, etc. And when our bodies have these reactions, it is a great sign that we could use a good run. Or hike. Or yoga class. It is challenging to your body to consistently be at the receiving end of these stressful moments. One way to support your body through long work hours, stress and emotional overwhelm is to exercise it.
How do you know if your body is craving exercise, then? Listen to it. Here are a few signs that your body is craving exercise...
1. You notice that you're unusually irritable, angry or frustrated Have you been feeling irritable? Angry? Frustrated? Sometimes, this is a message from your body that your stress levels (and the attendant stress hormones) have built up to a level that is intolerable. By moving your body, you help it to open up and be less contracted, which leads to greater relaxation. You also 'burn off' some of the stress hormones that are so damaging to your body, your health.
So, if you find yourself feeling irritable, frustrated or overwhelmed, go pound it out on the streets. Go ahead- put one foot in front of the other and move that anger through, channel it down through your feet and let it fuel your movement. By using this energy productively, you take control of a situation. Instead of feeling pissy and eating bon-bons, effectively sitting in your stuff, you make a conscious choice to do something that is not only in alignment with your health, but is also in alignment with being happy and free of the tirade of thoughts that usually accompanies a bon-bon eating session.
2. You notice yourself feeling antsy Do you find yourself standing at the copier, feeling antsy? Are you having a hard time sitting still at work, at dinner with your kids, or even on your meditation cushion? It could be a sign that you need to get out and move some energy. If you are eating more calories that you burn, you have excess energy. If not utilized, this excess energy turns to fat. Now you have stored energy in the form of adipose tissue. Usually, when you have been eating more, your body will let you know that you need to step it up to burn off all of the extra energy you're feeding it. One way it does this is to make you feel antsy, to make you feel like you need to go do something. Forget shopping, forget eating another donut to lull yourself into a carbohydrate induced stupor. Get out and move. Not only will you dispel that antsy, fidgety, restless feeling, but you'll kick up your metabolism, which will burn off some of those calories.
Note: vigorous exercise will kick your metabolism up more than, say, a slow walk or a quiet, restorative yoga class. If you really need to move some energy, try out a vinyasa (or 'Flow") yoga class, Ashtanga Yoga, or a run or challenging bike ride.
3. You feel like you're walking through sludge For many people, being in a 'funk' or being in that space where you feel 'blah' is often the result of not being able to process and move through emotions. You live through a situation (or you are living in a situation) that is ripe with emotion, none of which you have the time/ability/desire to deal with. So, what happens to all of the emotions? They store up, they collect, and they even fester sometimes. If emotions are just energy, and if that energy is not effectively moved, it just sits there, unmoving, collecting dust. By getting out and exercising, you move through it, break through the contraction and stagnation in your muscles, and release whatever it was that you were holding on to. You get rid of whatever you were storing up, unable to let go of. And that is a powerful thing if you want to feel not-so-blah!
Note: yoga is especially helpful for getting rid of the 'blahs', as it allows you to open and expand, to reach into the heart of each muscle and s t r e t c h. Yin yoga, or yoga where you get to hold poses for a bit longer than in vinyasa or flow classes is really good for moving through the blahs.
To your health!
Namaste,
Cynthia
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