Wellness Wednesday: Physical Activity and Stress

Here are some thoughts on exercise, physical activity and a few reminders to help cope with stress in your life:

Ways to exercise without getting up from your chair:

·         Jumping to conclusions

·         Running around in circles

·         Stretching the truth

·         Beating around the bush

·         Spinning your wheels

·         Running your mouth off

·         Doing a tailspin

·         Throwing a fit

·         Jumping out of your skin

·         Flying by the seat of your pants

·         Driving others wild

·         Digging a hole for yourself

·         Walking on eggshells

·         Chipping away at your self-esteem

·         Jogging your memory

·         Walking on sunshine

·         Spinning plates in the air

·         Juggling responsibilities

·         Running on empty

·         Balancing work, school and home

·         Throwing caution to the wind

 “Activity” means being active.  It does not require special clothes, a gym membership or vigorous muscle contractions.  Vigorous exercise is good, great in fact for building muscle endurance (like strengthening your heart); however too often we buy into the “no pain, no gain” myth and overlook the fact that doing SOMETHING is better than doing nothing. 

Try these:

· 5 minute study breaks every hour.  Walk, stretch, go up and down stairs, dance, strike a pose.

· Take a midday stroll to anywhere (that you can walk safely).  Notice your surroundings, breathe in deeply, listen to the sounds of nature or tunes of your choice.  Bonus points if you take a pet or child with you for a walk. 

· Add physical activity to your daily calendar and treat it like a very important class you MUST attend.

· Start the day with 20 minutes of stretching, walking or doing a youtube fitness video – you’ll feel better all day long.

Do’s and don’ts for Stress Intervention:

Do: Take a breath.  

Don’t: Hold your breath

Do:  Acknowledge your stress, worries, fears.               

Don’t:  “Dread ahead”

Do: Consider positive action.          

Don’t:  “Should” yourself

Do: Talk with friends.                         

Don’t: Gripe about the same thing 3x without doing something differently.

Do: Laugh, dance, play.                     

Don’t: Always put the fun off til tomorrow. 

“If exercise could be packaged in a pill, it would be the single most widely prescribed and beneficial medicine in the nation.” -Robert Butler, National Institute on Aging

Image by storyset on Freepik