Beloved Body Wellness Challenges

Years ago during a group exercise instructor training, the facilitator said something that has become my compass for this blog:

Exercise is a way we care for our body, not only so our body can  function on a daily basis but so it can be a vehicle for living the life we want to live.

Let’s break this down:

• Body function: Did you know that when you grab that gallon of milk from your fridge, you’re lifting 8.6 pounds?

  

  Exercising and strengthening your body allows you to do these normal activities – grabbing a gallon of milk, crouching down to pet your dog, hug your kid/grandkid, or throwing that piece of luggage up into the overhead bin – without overexertion or pain. Now as a mom, I appreciate the importance of exercise for body function/maintenance even more. After 40 glorious weeks of Hadley pushing my stomach further out than I ever thought it could go, my core muscles were weak. That weak core became obvious when I threw out my back most likely due to lifting her in and out of her crib, the bathtub, etc., a million times. For a full day, I could barely move. I couldn’t even put on my pants by myself! After that experience, my motivation for a strong core is not a flat stomach but being able to be a mom in the game, not sidelined on the couch.

• The life we want to live: Scott and I love to travel, and we want to travel for as long as possible. So for me, one reason I exercise is so that I can spend a full day on my feet hiking between the towns in Cinque Terra, Italy, followed by another full day walking the streets of Florence. Whatever it is you love to do, don’t let your body hold you back. Take care of your body so it can help you do what you love.

Making exercise a priority and finding time for it, though, can be a challenge. So, let’s find easy ways to fit it in, shall we? Here’s one way:

Beloved Body Wellness Challenges

• A few times a month, I’ll issue a wellness/fitness-related challenge for the week.
• The activity will only take a few minutes to complete but must be done for the duration of the challenge (e.g., every day for a week)
• We’ll talk about how the activity in the challenge can help you become healthier so you can live your life to the fullest.
• If you complete the challenge and notify me via a comment on the blog the day after the challenge ends, you’ll be entered for a chance to win something!

Get ready! The first Beloved Body Wellness Challenge begins Monday, April 11! Check back then.

-Amy