Gratitude in Motion: The Transformative Power of Exercise

It's easy to feel gratitude for your family, friends, a safe warm home, your job and so on, but it might feel weird to bring this to your fitness routine. When we combine the practices of gratitude and mindfulness with our exercise routines, we unlock a powerful synergy that nourishes not only our bodies but also our minds and spirits.

In this blog, I'll explore how applying this simple tool may help you feel better, recover faster and see progress more quickly.

1️. Gratitude amplifies joy: Exercise is a gift that allows us to move our bodies, strengthen our muscles, and improve our overall health. By infusing our workouts with gratitude, we shift our focus from what our bodies can't do to what they are capable of achieving. Gratefulness for our physical abilities, the energy to exercise, and the opportunity to care for our bodies amplify the joy we experience during our workouts.

2. Gratitude boosts motivation and resilience: Cultivating gratitude during exercise can enhance our motivation and resilience. By expressing gratitude for the progress we've made, the challenges we've overcome, and the strength we've built, we reinforce our determination to continue our fitness journey even when we don't feel like it or we start to wane in motivation.

Gratitude serves as a powerful reminder of our accomplishments, empowering us to push through obstacles and embrace new challenges with a positive mindset. When I'm struggling to get out the door or to get through a tough run, I try to remind myself that there are so many people who would love the time and ability to be doing what I'm doing, and it radically shifts the rest of the run for me.

3. Gratitude and mindfulness foster self-acceptance: Exercise does not have to be about achieving external goals or meeting societal expectations or looking good to post on Instagram. By infusing gratitude and mindfulness into our workouts, we cultivate a deeper sense of self-acceptance and self-love.

We learn to appreciate our bodies for what they are capable of in the present moment, rather than fixating on perceived imperfections. This shift in perspective allows us to embrace ourselves with compassion and kindness, leading to a more positive body image in all areas of our lives.

The benefits of gratitude and mindfulness extend far beyond the duration of our workouts. As we practice gratitude during exercise, we develop a greater capacity to apply these principles to our daily lives. We become more attuned to moments of joy, more resilient in the face of challenges, and more present in our interactions with others. The skills we cultivate during exercise become tools for living a more mindful and grateful life overall.

Embodied Awareness: Exploring the Power of Mindful Movement

We know movement and exercise are beneficial for overall health. There is no end to the ways you can move your body, but do you ever feel like you 'should' be running? Or you 'should' be doing more yoga?

When we see children playing at the playground, we are witnessing joy. Movement and joy. They are not thinking that they need to get their daily steps or close a ring on their watch or that they are doing it for their health, but rather the pure enthusiasm that comes from doing what your body is supposed to: MOVE.

Somehow, as adults, we can stray away from this and it's why so many of us can really struggle with finding an exercise practice that we can stick with, and enjoy.

My number one rule for every client that is looking to achieve some kind of fitness routine is to pick something you enjoy.

Hate running? Don't do it. Can't get into the zen zone with yoga, then stop. LOVE crossfit? GO for it! Enjoy long walks? You go Glen Coco!

So how do we bring mindfulness into our movement beyond just choosing something we enjoy? Let's explore!

1. Exercise with Intention: This will always be my number one recommendation. Choose activities that you genuinely enjoy and that align with your goals and values. Whether it's walking, yoga, dancing, or weightlifting, you do you - what brings you joy and fulfillment?

2. Mindful Movement: Approach exercise as an opportunity to connect with your body. Sometimes it can be an opportunity to escape, and that's ok, but we rarely stop to actually pay attention to what our bodies tell us. Be present during your workout, paying attention to the sensations, your breath, and the movement of your muscles.

3. Be Kind to Yourself: Avoid self-judgment or comparison when it comes to exercise, who cares what the person on the bike next to you is doing, or if that woman across the room can touch her toes and you can't? That's not why you showed up.

4. Listen to what your body needs: Not every workout is the same, some days you are going to crush it and feel like a rockstar, and some days, you just feel heavy and slow. Your body is asking for you to give it what it needs, allow some flexibility in your routine to accommodate it.

5. Mindful Rest and Recovery: Allow yourself adequate time for rest and recovery. Listen to your body when it needs a break and honor its need for relaxation and rejuvenation, you can't grow, gain, or get faster without downtime.

6. Mindful Reflection: Take a few moments at the end of the day to reflect on your relationship with exercise. Notice any patterns, emotions, or thoughts that arise. Cultivate awareness and make adjustments as needed.

Embracing mindful movement and cultivating a deep connection between our mind and body can unlock the potential for greater self-awareness, presence, and well-being. It is not about competing with others, or achieving perfection (what is that anyway?) but honoring our bodies and the beauty of where they are in this moment.

Whether it's practicing yoga, engaging in dance, or simply taking a mindful walk in nature, we have the opportunity to fully inhabit our bodies, tune into the present moment, and tap into the wisdom that resides within.

4 Reasons You Need More than 1,200 Calories

I saw a post this week on the "Eating Well" website that claimed to be about gut health. While it did include lots of nourishing food options, it was extremely restrictive, coming in at around 1200 calories per day. 1200 calories is the average amount of calories most toddlers need to grow and thrive. NOT the amount for a grown woman.

I have had clients come to me who wanted to lose weight and somehow got fixated on this number and started following it. What happened? They initially lost weight, but very quickly plateaued, felt like crap, had no energy, experienced brain fog, and were dragging through their workouts.

Most women's resting metabolic rate, meaning what they need to just exist, breathe, and for their organs to work is at least 1600 calories. That doesn't even include daily activities or calories burned during exercise. The effects of this kind of caloric restriction can be very detrimental in the short and long term and very counterproductive if your goal is weight loss or weight maintenance.

Here's why:

It's stressing your body the F out

This kind of caloric restriction on an ongoing basis causes a stress response, which leads the body to be in fight or flight mode and release cortisol. Elevated cortisol levels for long periods of time negatively impact the body by reducing bone density, impairing cognitive function, and decreasing immunity.

Additionally, extreme caloric restriction can cause hormonal imbalances in women, leading to irregular periods or even the cessation of menstruation. The body slows down its metabolic rate as a survival mechanism, making it more difficult to lose weight in the long run and meaning anytime you start to eat more calories, you gain weight. No one is going to maintain this kind of calorie restriction long term, but often get defeated when they rebound and begin to eat more and see the scale go up as the body recalibrates.

It's making you weak

If you are a woman and lifting weights (and you should be! You ARE lifting weights right??) this is not enough to support your strength goals and promote muscle repair. If you're doing cardio, you're just creating an even bigger deficit your body can't handle.

Consuming only 1200 calories a day is going to leave you feeling fatigued and depleted, making it difficult to perform your best during exercise. In addition, such low-calorie intake can mean your body has to break down muscle for energy, which can be counterproductive to exercise goals.

Girl, if you want those #gains, you have to eat more.

It's not doing your gut any favors

Yeah, of course, we're going to talk about gut health. If you follow me, this blog, or any of my programs, you know that gut health is SO important to everything.

When you don't eat enough calories, it can lead to reduced nutrient absorption, which can cause changes in the composition of the gut microbiome, leading to a decrease in beneficial bacteria and an increase in harmful bacteria. This can lead to digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. Moreover, extreme calorie restriction can also weaken the intestinal lining and increase intestinal permeability, leading to inflammation and an increased risk of chronic diseases. Not ideal.

It's bumming you out

This kind of obsession with calorie counting and restriction can have a significant impact on mental health, particularly in the long term, not to mention it's not fun. When the body is deprived of adequate calories, it can lead to feelings of fatigue, irritability, and anxiety. These symptoms may worsen over time as the body becomes more malnourished, leading to a lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, and even depression. It can also cause changes in brain chemistry, like a decrease in the production of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which can lead to mood disorders.

Yeah, no thanks.

So, what should you do instead?

Most women attempting weight loss are not eating enough, or consistently fueling for their goals. We need to shift our focus away from restriction and towards thriving, radiant health. You are so much more than a number. Your strength and worth are not based on the scale.

Check out my guiding principles on my instagram here. and focus on eating more whole foods, drinking more water, sleeping more, moving your body gently, reducing stress, and prioritizing fat and protein.

Your body deserves to feel strong, energized, and healthy to keep up with your family, do your job, crush your workouts, and be happy! Get in touch if you're ready to make a plan that works for you!