Why Moving Your Body Is Important (Spoiler Alert - it’s not about looks)
I’ve never been the athletic type. Never played sports or attended dance classes. Not a runner. Not a yogi. Not someone who particularly enjoyed moving her body.
When I started on my workout journey nearly four years ago my reasons were the common types that are associated with exercise - lose weight, drop dress sizes, find my skinny, and then love myself once all that was accomplished.
Does that sound familiar to you? Maybe that’s the reason why you’ve started (and stopped) working out in the past.
While I’m thankful that my initial reasons led me to the resources I use today - they weren’t enough to keep me disciplined. Cause let’s face it - motivation is not a reliable driver.
In fact, not only was my striving for outside validation not enough to keep me disciplined, it often led to my own self sabotage.
Missed workouts, modifications, scale fluctuations would leave me feeling defeated.
But then I had a real mental health crisis following a brain injury. One that forced me to look at my mental health seriously. One that led me down a path of research and learning to discover how I could best support myself - bringing stability and the ability to thrive back into my life.
Book after book after book shared the importance of a multi-pronged approach to mental health, ALL of which included movement.
And with that, a new reason to move was birthed inside me.
Working out for me now has nothing to do with weight, skinny jeans or appearance.
It is all about fostering an environment of mental stability so I can live the life of purpose God has in store for me. That’s the compelling reason that has helped me cultivate discipline.
Because let’s be real - motivation still eludes me most of the time.
If you need to discover a deeper reason behind getting your body to move, check out some of these benefits:
Enhanced Mood - releases happy endorphins and can help combat anxiety and depression.
Healthier Lymphatic System - gets things moving in our body’s ability to naturally detoxify itself.
Enhanced Brain Function - improves cognitive ability and memory.
Improved Circulation - gets the heart pumping and blood flowing, nourishing skin cells and providing oxygen throughout your body.
Healthier Bones - weight bearing exercises help build bone mass, warding off disorders like osteoporosis.
Regulated Digestion & Elimination - moving assists the flow in our bodies and activates our intestinal muscles, encouraging regularity
Improved Sex Life - does this really need an explanation?
My hope for you is that at least ONE of these reasons will jump off the page for you and ignite in you the commitment to move. Not as punishment. Not as some attempt to gain worth (you’re already worthy babe). But as a way to improve your quality of life and make you more equipped to walk in the purpose over your life.
Now that you’ve made the commitment to move - don’t get intimidated! You can do this! And there are a variety of ways to get exercise in your life.
Stuck for ideas? Try some of these out:
Join a local gym
Go for a moderate to fast-paced walk
Take a dance class
Get gardening
Find a sport you love and join a team
Go for a swim
Stream at home workouts (that’s my personal favourite)
Movement is life. We don’t need to over complicate it. We don’t need to fear it.
In the words of Nike, we just need to do it!
(Looking for an at-home solution? Email me and I’ll show you what I use)
(Guess what I did! I wrote a small devotional for those struggling with their mental health. If that’s you, get on my prelaunch list here)