ACTIVE LIVING

Exercise can be meditation in motion, as you focus on movements rather than problems. TRISTAN HALL explains the benefits of establishing a routine.

There have been some unexpected challenges thrown at us during 2021 – health concerns, social isolation, accommodation uncertainty or financial worries – and these impact body and mind.

The body responds to threat by increasing blood pressure and heart rate. It increases mental alertness and releases the cortisol hormone into your bloodstream. These responses can help in acute situations such as avoiding a car accident.

But today’s stressors are so frequent that our system can become overloaded. This can damage health and increase the risk of diseases such as atherosclerosis and depression. Exercise can counterbalance this.

A study in Chicago compared the stress responses of people who exercise at least once a week with those who don’t exercise. All 111 participants self-evaluated their mood before and after a test.

The test included making a speech to two examiners and doing some maths problems. The test exercisers had a small drop in mood while the non-exercisers showed much more decline in mood and positivity.

The authors concluded that exercise is correlated with emotional resilience.

When you exercise, the body produces endorphins which can stimulate a feeling of WE ALL know someone who starts something but never finishes it.

It could be restoring an old motor vehicle, home renovations, a self-improvement class or perhaps even an exercise program.

My experience as a personal trainer exposes me to many people who start their new exercise regime with gusto – new shoes, perhaps some equipment or a gym membership.

They talk about it all the time to family and friends in an excited fashion, they use physical fitness language and slang talking about reps and routes, cardio and resistance training.

Some continue on and set a healthy habit for life but unfortunately, some do not and the fire to be a healthier human that once burned has diminished or gone out completely.

We can never guarantee anything in life except death but once you have decided to live a healthier life you may find the following tips beneficial to help you keep up a good habit: 1. Write up a weekly schedule to include your exercise program. 2. Maintain an exercise diary for

wellbeing. Exercise puts the body under controlled stress which can train it to be less reactive to life’s troublesome events.

Exercise can be meditation in motion, a way to escape your thoughts and enjoy being one with your movements.

I encourage everyone to make exercise part of a stress management plan. Here are a few ideas: • Choose an activity you enjoy. Try something new, such as dancing, kayaking or joining a

Bushcare group. • Get social. When you exercise with a friend you are more likely to stick to your plan.

Swimming, tennis or walking are ideal. A good coffee is always a bonus. • Walk a dog, your own or someone else’s. Tristan Hall is an exercise physiologist with Full Circle Wellness. Call 0431 192 284 or visit fullcirclewellness.com.au reflection and comparisons. 3. Exercise with a partner to aid accountability. 4. Continue to educate yourself about the benefits of regular exercise. 5. Do not let anything deter you from your program, including weather. 6. Find ways to include variety into your exercise program. 7. Get some professional advice about what exercises you can do. 8. Listen to your body and get plenty of sleep and rest. 9. Work on a good nutritional plan. 10. Make sure you incorporate fun in your activities when possible.

Yoyo dieters is a term sometimes used to describe people who achieve good nutritional balance only to go back to undisciplined habits at the end of a particular program. Some exercisers could be described the same.

Good healthy habits do not come in 4, 8, or even 12-week blocks.

Being generally healthy and leading a clean and balanced lifestyle all the time may not be easy, but the benefits can be amazing. Tom Law is the author of Tom’s Law Fit Happens. Visit tomslaw.com.auHow to maintain a good habit