Mindful Moves Between the “To Do’s”

How many times have you told yourself: I’ll start exercising after the holidays? Or maybe you say: I’m too busy to get to the gym. Or maybe you say: I do a lot of running around with all the places I go and that’s my workout. If any of this sounds familiar, you are not alone. We have all had those moments where making excuses or rationalizing has supported us not doing the right thing. We’re human! It happens.

Today, I’d like to offer you a few things that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine to get your body moving. We were designed to move. Our ancestors were hunters and gatherers. They walked; they had physical labor jobs. Over generations, we have become sedentary. Taking care of our body is not part of how we function to live, it’s something we schedule to do. Let’s make it easy, fun and accessible – no gym or equipment required.

Start your day jumping! Yes, you read that right. Jump. Gently jump up and down, keeping soft or bent knees. This activates your lymphatic system and helps move toxins out. 3 minutes of gentle jumping will kickstart your day. Mid-day, when you feel that afternoon slump coming on, do chair squats. Find a chair, stand in front of it and start to sit down. When you feel the chair seat on your seat – stand up. Do not sit all the way down. Repeat 10 times, rest for 20 seconds and repeat until you’ve done 30 squats. Now, it’s evening and you’re winding down. Lay on the floor (or bed), put your arms out like you’re forming the letter T, draw both knees up to your chest, gently drop both knees to the right, bring them to the center, and drop to the left. 5 repetitions of this gentle twist assists with digestion and sleep. This entire set of exercises takes less than 20 minutes. You CAN do it. 

Looking for more in-depth or customized programming? You can schedule a single session or series of 4 Mindful Movement sessions with me. Call today, 320.639.0044.