A Body in Balance

When we think about body balance the first thing that usually comes to mind is our physical health - diet, exercise, health and wellness - everything that affects our body’s natural physical balance. Remember that "we are what we eat and drink, feel and think”. Inside or out, our sense of balance starts with how we view and respond to ourselves.

A healthy body is the result of a healthy balance between diet and exercise. Now I don’t mean “diet” in the way of starving ourselves and eating rabbit food, but making healthy and nutritious choices. And three words: water, water, water. Oh, and did I mention water? (more on that later).

In the spirit of body balance, let’s focus today on exercise. We need to exercise. Let me repeat that. We need to exercise. Why? Because the body was meant to be in motion. Sure – there’s plenty of time for rest, but lack of movement is one of the single biggest contributors to poor health. Get moving! If you are already exercising, great! Keep it up. If you need some motivation, start with baby steps - seriously... just start putting one foot in front of the other.

So whether you go for a morning walk or work out at a gym regularly, here are a few simple and useful tips to help you move towards a more balanced body:

1.    Stretch: Stretch Before and After Exercise

Take a few minutes to stretch both before and after you exercise and you may decrease the risk of injury to your muscles and increase your flexibility. This also allows the blood to move into the muscles more quickly. Try to hold your stretch, without bouncing, for 10 seconds or more to receive maximum benefit.

2.    Stay Motivated: Bring a Friend or Mr. Music With You!

Keeping yourself motivated to exercise can be one of the biggest challenges of a healthy exercise routine. Find a friend who will exercise with you or purchase an MP3 player or iPod (my favorite motivational tool) and let the music keep you moving! There’s nothing like great music to get, and keep, your body in motion.

3.    Mix It Up: Change Your Routine Regularly

Be sure to change the different ways you exercise every 2-3 months or your body will adjust to the medium and you will plateau. Providing your body with changing sources of stimuli is good. For weight training, try to find a nice blend of free weights, exercise machines, and other body training equipment. Most health clubs will have a variety of this equipment for you to try and discover what works best with your body. For conditioning, try a variety of activities; walking and running (both outside and on a treadmill—they’re very different!), aerobics, biking (both outside and stationary), step machines, and other cardio equipment. To calm and soothe the body, try yoga.  Whatever you do, mix it up! Try something new and listen to how your body responds.

4.    Rest: Balance Physical Exercise with Rest

Be sure to balance exercise with plenty of rest. This includes both during your exercise session as well as throughout your week. Rest is critical. Listen to your body and respond to its messages. And remember to allow your body time to respond to any changes you introduce: if you’re trying to get in better physical shape, slower changes last much longer than fast ones!

5.    Calendar It: Make a Date

My friend Honoree always says, “If it’s not on the calendar, it’s not gonna happen!” That is so true when it comes to exercising. Schedule it on your calendar and be sure to write it down. Treat exercise like an appointment with your body—the most important client you will ever have! This not only builds good habits but shows commitment to yourself and your goals. And, most importantly—keep the date. Don’t stand yourself up. Remember: this is a lifelong relationship, so give it your best.

Be Well and Happy Spring!

The Ambassador