FITNESS & WELLNESS

My Starlights,

Being fit is ensuring your lifestyle remains healthy, stress free, and active. I have tried to be inclusive of many forms of fitness to bring mindfulness and harmony into my life. Fitness has been a great way for me to feel good about myself, sustain a healthy self-confidence, and  maintain a positive outlook mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Fitness is very conducive to brain power, joy, and glow.

The brain needs to be exercised. Not just with numbers, games, and written words. It needs to be physically embraced with fitness of swimming, gymnastics, cycling, spinning, sport climbing, jogging, volleyball, basketball, kayaking, and other aerobic sports. Football is also a sport, but it can cause Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) or a type of traumatic brain injury. Now, when the heart is hit on the field at the exact moment as it beats from one ventricular valve to the other, can go into cardiac arrest.

Concussions are a leading factor for traumatic brain injuries and CTE. This, of course, is unfortunate for those whom have suffered the consequences of such a devastating outcome. Therefore, I hesitate to put football as a healthy fitness sport. Yet, if that is your choice of fitness, you do know the health risks that come with playing this rigorous and dangerous sport.

When you think about the number of ways we can use our minds and meditate while physically using our bodies, we are releasing certain healthy endorphins to create a runner’s “high”, which is when our bodies go from aerobic to anaerobic exertion. This phase of release is when our brains are at our most highest state of performance, as the body is operating without the endurance oxygen, so the cells in our muscles are literally on overdrive….This is when our minds get their “high” and want to keep going for more!

“Exercise stimulates endorphin production as well, but for a different reason. You’re probably familiar with the term “runner’s high,” which refers to the euphoric feeling one sometimes gets when exercising. Researchers have found that light-to-moderate weight training or cardiovascular exercise doesn’t produce endorphins, only heavy weights or training that incorporates sprinting or other anaerobic exertion.

When your body crosses over from an aerobic state to an anaerobic state, it’s suddenly operating without enough oxygen to satisfy the muscles and cells screaming out for it. This is when the “runner’s high” occurs.” Science, How Stuff Works

I have offered above some ways to release stress, frustrations, and mental chaos. Find those fitness opportunities that bring joy, excitement, peace, harmony, and feelings of energy. Whatever makes you happy inside out is what you should be doing in fitness and health. YOU MATTER!! Don’t wait until tomorrow to start. Today is really all we have…! Just DO IT! 🙂 Happy training my beautiful souls!?

HEALTHY FITNESS HABITS

Due to technological multitasking on email, voice mail, texting, Skyping, and other virtual ways of communicating with others, our minds are constantly fueled with incoming traffic, whether personal, professional, technological, or virtual. Life is a series of good and negative stress. Therefore, it is important to listen carefully to your body, thoughts, and biofeedback. As your limitations reach their peak and your plate becomes overwhelmed, you may feel frustrated, confused, and/or you may feel the need to release repressed tension. Harmony is very important to maintain if we are to strive for rational and critical thinking during highly stressful and energy draining positions. This can be accomplished through different types of activities including yoga, meditation, swimming, kayaking, jogging, hiking, walking, cycling, and/or sport climbing. Fitness, obviously, is an important part of your daily health routine to keep the heart functioning at maximum potential to decrease blood pressure, lower the risk of heart attacks, stroke, and diabetes. So many wonderful exercises are attributed to enjoying the outdoors and breathing in the fresh air. There truly is a connection between body, mind and spirit, and when balanced and grounded, one can be more focused, present, and recharged.

TOP FITNESS TRENDS

Our fitness industry has changed to engage its customers to bring positivity, glow, and mindfulness to front and center. Healthy fitness choices have become the apex of mental health for people currently due to feelings of increased suicidal tendencies, loneliness, and depression. Mental health is our number one focus for keeping people connected, engaged, and at optimum wellness. Whether at the gym, through television videos, or other tech fitness craves that makes fitness fun and enjoyable, delivering workout solutions in or outdoors is the future of holistic optimism. Living a healthy lifestyle is not just a choice, but necessary for today’s emotional, physical, and mental thrivers.

What works for one person may not work for you. Flexibility in fitness options is integrating the latest technology to benefit from a more personalized approach. This can bring a well rounded and unique experience depending on your personal fitness goals. Whatever your motivation is for fine tuning your body, whether long term health and wellness goals, infusing apps or videos into fitness routines, or a renewal of strength training, yoga, and meditation after injuries, there are exciting trends in the fitness world to keep you focused, motivated, and energized.

1. STEADY CARDIO MOVEMENT

We are returning to traditional fitness routines in cardio trends whereby we maintain a steady, resilient heart-friendly activity. No longer is the average person seeking high intensity cardio interval training workouts such as (HIIT).

More people are gleaning better mindfulness training through moderate intensity overall workouts infused with low intensity training. Swimming is a perfect example of an overall, steady cardio workout based on training schedules, personal goals, intensity, laps, and experience. This is a stress free workout built around your schedule. Hire a coach or partner to glean strength and proper form when doing your workout. It will save you from injuries in the long-run.

Daniel McKenna, a trainer, former Irish Gaelic football athlete, and designer of the Irish Yank Fitness Club states, “If you’re looking for long-term and overall health benefits, steady-state cardio will help to train your cardiorespiratory system and enhance your aerobic capacity, as well as reduce your risk of type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.” (Men’s Journal)

And moderate exercise such as walking has great benefits for mental health, cardio, and overall stress reduction too. Don’t sweat the small stuff! Keep in mind the focus is on longevity and anti-aging training practices. We want to focus on overall health, mental health practices, physical sculpting, and resiliency.

Interval walking, or “Japanese walking“, is one of the fastest growing trends, traced back to Shinshu University. Fast walking includes a total of 30 minute intervals of three minute intense aerobic walking with three minutes of slow, recovery walking. Research shows it improves heart health and burns fat.

2. STRETCHING WITH PILATES AND YOGA FOR FLEXIBILITY

Traditionally, pilates and yoga have been more of a women’s fitness mind-body training. But lately, more men have become more engaged to discover the harmony and flexibility necessary for sports, mental pursuit of happiness, and resiliency. They also build core strength, balance, focus, enhanced breathing, and full body strength. Training our minds is critical for body, mind, and emotional control for conflict management.

Pilates and yoga teaches us how to respond rationally, slow down our breathing, and focus on problem solving. We learn to mentally process whatever circumstances may arise. These strategies teach us how to be stable, independent, stress-free, flexible, and physically fit.

3. OUTDOOR FITNESS, RUCKING, AND PLANT-BASED DIETS

What we put into our bodies as fuel for fitness is the third trend. More people are switching their diet and flexing their muscles outdoors by “going green.” Being outdoors is a place of virtuous health and recreation. More people are realizing sustainability in the environment for eating less red meat and more plant based meals is the wave of the future. And that global warming is changing the temperatures of our climate for how our fish and animals can sustain themselves. We must change with them in how we choose well-being globally and domestically.

“Rucking” is a term used for carrying a weighted backpack while hiking, walking or running for strength and endurance. It will strengthen the core, legs, back, and overall cardio system. The military uses it for endurance trainings. It is an overall mind-body workout, mentally challenging while strengthening resiliency in high stress situations. It is viewed as a functional fitness for movement, flexibility, and mental mindfulness.

Cycling, walking, hiking, skydiving, kite flying, jogging, and other outdoor possibilities have gained popularity since the pandemic. Family outings for picnics and other outdoor activities like bad mitten, ping pong, volleyball, swimming, boating, and fish boils are gaining momentum. Many have found the outdoor playground fulfilling even more so than the indoor one. Spending “me” time for you or family time can be more time efficient when than driving to and fro and wasting time.

4. NUTRITIONAL PSYCHIATRY AND PERSONAL COACH

A sixth trend is Personal Holistic Health Coaching and the importance nutrition plays in how our bodies’ mental health and overall well-being can be transformed. Holistic wellness is symbiotic with nutrition. What we eat is who we are, literally. Our bodies can only function in direct correlation to what we feed it.

Part of the draw of a healthy lifestyle, besides the radiant glow from exercising for strength, body shaping, and inner joy, is also the keen awareness knowing you are living and training like an athlete. This psychological transformation is what drives the need for the “high” while training and gives your mind the endorphins that manifest the feelings of wanting more. A physio-psychological cycle is created. This desire for seeking a habitual training routine is one that perpetuates healthy eating and trained recovery to maintain a healthy lifestyle balance. Finding a way to stay fit in today’s society is easy, costs nothing, and highly motivating, especially if you have a partner to challenging you! YOU are the only reason YOU ARE NOT FIT!! CHANGE YOUR MIND, CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

5. MINDFULNESS IS OPTIMISM

A seventh trend with holistic wellness is choosing to be mindful of your mental state of well-being. Choose a virtual or live weekly fitness coach to assist in your mind, body, and spiritual connection. With gentle guidance, they can offer ways to alleviate fears, stress, frustrations, and pain. The mind is powerful. It can bring brilliance, courage, and strength into your life. But if not channeled positively, it can also oppress, paralyze, and deplete you of confidence, self-esteem, and self-identity.

Sleeping 8 hours per night is one of the best ways to nurture and replenish your brain. It depends on a nutritious diet, daily fitness, and deep slumber. The brain’s glymphatic system is what removes the toxins at night while you’re sleeping from the day’s cognitive processes. If you don’t get enough sleep, your brain cannot complete the filtration process removing the accumulated trash. Just like a computer, your brain must reboot at night to have a full battery in the morning.

It is no secret that mindfulness is beneficial. In 2022, research concluded how mindfulness lead to paying attention to your feelings, thoughts, and present environment with an attitude of acceptance. Mindfulness offers a calming, tranquillity that decreases stress, reduces depression, increases memory, and nurtures relationships. The mindfulness based cognitive-therapy (MBCT) “is a type of therapy that incorporates cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR).” It is a relatively brief therapy, taking place over eight weeks utilizing group sessions that incorporate mindfulness practices.”

Infusing mindfulness into your daily routine is reflective work. And any inner reflection can bring out uncomfortable feelings of anxiety and stress if there was trauma involved in your past. Go slow and gentle with yourself if you have never had mindfulness training before. You may want to consult an expert because post-traumatic stress (PTSD) symptoms can easily flare up when seeking your soul’s peace and fulfillment. It will get better. Repressed trauma is challenging to release, but when it does it is freeing.

Seeking out ways to practice mindfulness is key. Meditation is just one way of having your mind enter a higher consciousness by focusing on mantras, listening to your breath, and being in a relaxed state of vulnerability. If you have a meditative music, YouTube or App to use for meditation, use what digital services are available to you. If you would rather be with others, go to a gym, an outdoor beach, or wherever place that gives you peace and joy.

Find your glowing optimism that makes you shine from inside out. Make space and time for you. Self-care will always come first because mental health is what makes you thrive!

6. SLEEPING

As sleeping patterns for tracking deep sleep and REM timelines become more available with fitbit and smartphone watch devices, among others, it is important to realize that good sleep is critical to a healthy lifestyle. Sleeping between eight to ten hours per night is a capstone for your body’s vital motor functions and energy. Sleep restores back your body’s physical well being, athletic performance, mental alertness, concentration, and positivity towards the day’s scheduled activities. If not rested properly, the body’s immune system suffers, the brain becomes fogged and easily distracted, while the rest of the motor functions are stunted and lack energy. Kat Ellis, certified personal trainer, instructor at Our Body Electric, sees in the near future sleep coaches becoming readily available at yoga and meditation studios in order to assist people to learn the art of deep relaxation.

Emily Lockhart, author of the article on Sleep Deprivation in Active Beat, purports that sleep deprivation, being a chronic lack of sleep, can cause chronic conditions, such a high blood pressure, arrhythmia, diabetes, and cardiovascular problems. She also advises, it increases the stress hormone cortisol in your body, which has a way of showing up as puffy, dark circles under your eyes, and leaves your skin rather stretchy and dull. Loss of sleep may also come in forms of depression, wight gain or loss, lack of libido, and decreased mental acuity.

If stress, frustration, or negative circumstances are a catalyst for lost sleep, find a life coach, therapist, or psychologist to connect with who can assist in dealing with your emotions and issues that block your sleep patterns. This is one of the most important steps to having an awesome workout regardless of the type you choose! Don’t wait until its too late!! Just DO IT!!

Please read more about the benefits of Sleep under the Tab: Healthy Lifestyle -“Nutrition and Sleep”.

7. WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY

Our trendy fitness gadgets bring us new technology in clothing and accessories for fitness tracking. More individuals crave accurate health knowledge during and after their fitness training with measurable outcomes to determine how their circadian rhythm responds to daily fitness intervals, circuit training, endurance training, length of training, and recovery. Tracking the body’s caloric consumption during training, miles, laps, oxygen level, heart beat, and amount of sleep predicts certain outcomes for athletes. As athletic companies partner with technology equipment, there will be more availability in fitness tracking watches, heart monitoring sports bras, and other functional technology for ensuring the body is equipped to meet its fitness goals.

8. CROSS TRAINING APPROACH

Many individuals have found that doing rigorous cross training is more beneficial than focusing on only one type of training. The different modalities allow for strengthening of various muscle groups, offers endurance, mobility, power, and substantially more skill development with less injuries. Cross training is a win win for fitness training.

This concludes my Healthy Fitness Habits section for developing harmony and healthy habits to de-stress and release toxins out of your life. I sincerely hope you indulge in the benefits of the  fitness programs that have been made available to you. Obviously, there are so many ways to be inclusive of nutritiously sound eating habits as well to stay fit, yet finding the resources takes incredible amounts of time, energy, and expense to you. I want to encourage all my tribal members to seek the best in yourself, and find ways to live a healthy, fit life, especially after trauma or abuse.

Find a partner who can assist you in reaching your goals and focus on YOU! Always remember how remarkable YOU are no matter what other people may think or say about you. This is YOUR JOURNEY! Let me know how I can assist you in making your goals in living a life of glow come true…✨

In Love and Light,

Dr. Kimberly Lees

letyourlightshineon.org