Green flags in the exercise

In collaboration with Dr. Grettel Sanabria , psychologist, sociologist.

From childhood we are taught to see exercise as something competitive, being the strongest or fastest, the best.

But , what happens when we are not interested in competing, when we are not interested in going through the fatigue, pain and building the discipline of training because we do not see the motivation to do so? Well, we move away, lose interest and look for other activities more related to our taste, that they give us more pleasure or motivation without so much effort.

There specifically lies the problem and I ask these questions:

Why weren't we taught as children that exercise or sport looks different on each one of us, that I can explore which exercise I like the most until I find it, or that my abilities are not the same as those of my peers?

Who took the time to explain to us from a very young age the benefits beyond the physical, the emotional and mental connection that we can achieve by moving in the way that pleases us and resonates with our body?

Unfortunately we associate exercise only with appearance and physical health. And let's be honest, how many of us, as adults, try to pick it up again to fit into a society motivated by physical appearance with very inflexible and unrealistic goals? How many of us make New Year's resolutions forcing exercise into our lives in the form of "21-day challenges" or "100 sit-ups a day to lose belly fat"?

With obvious reason, exercise or movement remains little with us, if we can't see it as more than a tool to lose weight, we don't get quick results or worse, we get injured for not taking the appropriate measures.

And it is that just like other habits that remain forever in our lives and with few expectations and effort we do not hesitate to do them; exercise can also take place throughout our lives, in all its ups and downs.

I leave you 5 green flags to ensure that exercise is always present and change the mindset that it only serves to see you better:

1. I focus on how I feel and not just how I look:

Starting to exercise with an unsympathetic mentality of how I look, or how much I have to change my body, is not going to give us motivation to start; but if I think of exercise as that moment to disconnect from work and stress, where I am going to take the time to feel textures, observe the landscape, or listen to my favorite music, you will most likely flow without noticing the passage of time.

2. I consciously decide how to move:

If you are aware of your tastes, your abilities, your emotions, you probably won't go spinning for an hour with your friend, because it's not what you like; If not, you will look for what feels better, it can be: walking, dancing, jumping rope, swimming, etc. Also remember that you should not always move at the same intensity, our life is not linear, we do not always maintain the same energy and there are events that change our routine (becoming parents, illnesses, commitments, etc.).

A little red flag here: avoid the comparison. If you do X exercise just because you would like to see yourself as so-and-so, that's not it; You don't need to do the same thing your friend or friend does for it to work, do what you're passionate about.

3. It is valid not always to enjoy it:

We should do the movement without expectations, this includes if I could not finish the routine, I could not exercise all week, I did not meet the established time or I could not give 100%.

Always remember that you move for you, you do not owe explanations to anyone if you could not do things as you planned. There will be weeks that you spend super active and others that you did not move, the important thing is that movement is always part of your life and you do not give up on it. Remember to honor your body and listen to it.

4. We managed to identify between tiredness and laziness:

Improving our relationship with exercise also improves our relationship with rest. Rest is one of the most important parts if we want to see physical and mental results. A healthy lifestyle needs rest to repair all our organs and process our emotions.

If I can identify that I am tired because I did not sleep well, it is responsible not to exercise because we would be putting more stress on our body, just as it is also valid to take days off if I do not feel willing to move. The key is to identify between one and the other in order to avoid guilt and give purpose to your day.

5. I enjoy choosing to move in different ways:

It seems obvious, but it's not that obvious. Many times we get attached to a routine and we force it to fit our life and any of its events. This is just setting us up for failure.

There are a thousand ways to move that by knowing them and getting to know each other, we are opening up a range of opportunities that fit our day. Let's think about it like this: Do you wear the same clothes for different social occasions ? Most likely not, if you have a party you dress accordingly, but if you go to work everything changes. The same happens with exercise, use the movement that best suits your day.

I hope these 5 green flags help you take a hard look at your relationship with exercise, remember that many still have a short view of what exercise can do for us, but it's up to you to explore, enjoy and incorporate a sustainable lifestyle.