Brain Health

Exercise – How to Turn Thoughts into Action

It’s inspiring to see people make strides in their health through exercise. When we see results in others, it can spark the motivation we need to engage in physical activity and get our own bodies moving.

However, for some of us the best intentions to start an exercise routine don’t always match up with our actions. Many people report they want to exercise more but lack motivation and energy.  We convince ourselves that if we just had the motivation, we would move more. The truth is, it’s the exact opposite. Motivation and energy will never appear out of nowhere. We have to create it. When we begin to consistently move and be active, the more motivated and energized we become. So how do we change our thinking about exercise into actually taking action? Consider the following:

• Exercise is an expression of self-care, not self-punishment. Instead of thinking about exercise as something to dread, think about it as taking care and control of your health in multiple ways. A simple daily walk covers all the bases – physically, mentally and emotionally. Picture yourself feeling happy, energized and confident. The only way to turn a vision into results is to take action!
• Make exercise a priority. We all have 24 hours in a day. No one gets more or less. So how do people with jobs, families and other commitments have time to exercise? They make it a nonnegotiable priority. It is built in as part of their daily routine. In the beginning, set an alarm or a calendar reminder if you need to, but after feeling the benefits, it might become the time in the day you look forward to the most.
• Decide if exercise is something you want to pursue alone or do with others. Maybe you want to go solo and enjoy some quiet time with your own thoughts or listen to a playlist, audio book or podcast. Perhaps you’d rather be social. If that’s the case, find a committed friend – ideally one who will hold you accountable. Initially you might not feel like exercising, but you may look forward to spending time with a friend!
• Set realistic expectations. Making big lofty goals can set yourself up for disappointment. If you haven’t exercised in a while, the thought of walking five miles every day can be overwhelming and easy to give up on. Set yourself up for success by starting slow and adding more time as you master your goals. And remember, exercise does not require hard core, sweaty workouts in order to be effective. Walking, biking or swimming are excellent options!
• Movement is nature’s medicine for the mind and body. When you exercise, the body kicks up production of dopamine and serotonin, which are natural brain chemicals crucial to a happy mood. Moving our bodies is also the most natural way of helping us improve our sleep and increase our energy levels, without developing a reliance on supplements and medications.

Another way to help give your energy a boost is to visit your local Cereset® office, a BrainEcho® neuromodulation technology and wellness company, which helps to relax, rebalance and reset your brain. Our temporal lobes are the part of the brain that is responsible for stress regulation and autonomic function.  If you experience stress, the sympathetic nervous system stimulates what is known as the fight or flight response in the body. It utilizes the body’s energy for stressful or energy-exerting activities. A great deal of your natural energy can be wasted on stress and worry.  When the brain is out of balance, it moves from a fight or flight stress response into a freeze response. When we’re under an enormous amount of stress, the freeze response slows the brain down and protects it from overwhelming stress or threats. This can leave our energy reserves on empty. When we spend all our energy on worry and stress, there might not be any vitality left for the goals we want to set for ourselves.  Cereset® works with clients to release the brain from a freeze state, lower their stress and regain their energy levels.

There is no better time for growth and renewal. Assess how you feel in this moment and determine what improvements you might want to make. Then consider how Cereset® and exercise will help contribute to your success.  Call your local Cereset® office to schedule a $99 Brain Assessment to see if stress or worry is impacting your energy levels.

Heidi Devereux, B.A.A. is a Health Educator, Certified Stress Management Instructor and Tech Coach at Cereset® Clarkston.