Who feels stressed?
I don't know about you, but spring has sprung and so has my stress level! With 5 girls, there is never a dull moment in my daily responsibilities. With elementary school projects, spring sports, college visits, prom, constant grocery runs, not to mention spring home maintenance .... I AM STRESSED!!! The sunshine and promise of green does feed my soul and give me hope, but if I'm being completely honest, it is not off setting my constant feeling of barely treading water.
I know Cindy and I are trainers and this will sound annoying to some, but my honest truth is that in these moments of mental chaos, the thing that helps calm my brain the most is working out. We teach class every morning and I give myself the gift of 4% by working out before we begin teaching. It cleans the slate of the stress that had been building from the day before and allows me to recharge and refocus for the day ahead.
RELIEVE your STRESS with these workouts
With Spring being such a busy time in our household, I have also added walking in the evenings to my schedule. You may think that adding another "to do" to my calendar would contribute to my stress level. This, interestingly enough, is not the case. So many studies have shown that exercise/moving your body has benefits that go way beyond the physical. My evening walks helps me unwind and relax at the end of the day, boosts my mood, helps me control my stress eating, gives me time to connect with my family if they choose to join my stroll and researchers have found that exercising outdoors “was associated with greater feelings of revitalization, increased energy and positive engagement, together with decreases in tension, confusion, anger and depression. Participants also reported greater enjoyment and satisfaction with outdoor activity.” How amazing is that? 30 minutes can strengthen not only your body, but your mind as well!
So friends, don't grab the bag of chips or find yourself in such a mental hole you can't dig out. Move your body! Make it part of your daily ritual and I promise that you will be amazed at the mental benefits you will receive!
