When.
When is a good time to start looking after yourself?
To start paying attention to the foods that you eat?
To being aware of the information you allow in to your brain?
As soon as you can.
We are living in a World where it has never been more important to look after your own health. All aspects of it.
Mental and physical health should be given equal weighting.
Taking time to reduce stress or increase your capacity to deal with stress is worth every second. I personally use Chi Gung and meditation to help increase my capacity for stress and I have a coach to help me reduce it.
Physical health requires a four pronged approach.
1. Cardiovascular fitness – simply getting the heart rate faster than it normally would. I like to run and ride my bike, I hope to get back to open water swimming again too. One of my favourite things is a walk down the canal, especially as the footpath between Sutton Stop at The Greyhound Pub and pretty much town has been tarmaced meaning no more muddy shoes.
2. Strength – picking things up and putting things down that feel heavy to move or using your body weight to do the same. I like a combination of both types and work the latter in to conditioning sessions we do with our Bootcamp members.
3. Mobility and flexibility – focussing on making sure your joints work through a full range of motion. That you can get up and down off the floor without grunting and groaning. We should all be able to tie our shoe laces without pain.
4. Nutrition and hydration – supporting your body with most of the foods you eat. Your diet doesn’t have to be perfect to be healthy but it does need to have some real food and a decent amount of vegetables in. Pay attention to the amount of fluids you drink particularly if you sweat when you exercise. Adding a little Himalayan salt to your water makes it like an electrolyte drink and absorbs better.
If you need any support with any of that, we can help.
Yes, we are aware it’s a Bank Holiday on Monday. We’re ok with that.
Darren “coached” Checkley
