Physical exercise cannot be an annoying routine, much less a sacrifice. Intuitive exercise teaches you to find your way to flow with a physical activity or sport.
Sometimes, when you exercise, you feel so good that you are invaded by a practically infinite energy. Endorphins, feel-good hormones, make you feel in glory. Maybe you’re jogging through a beautiful park and the fresh air and increased heart rate are doing you a lot of good, or maybe you’re in a spinning class with your workout buddies and enjoying every minute of it.
However, at other times, exercise feels like an unpleasant obligation. If you often find yourself in that case, you need to reevaluate your strategy to improve your physical condition, so that you can always enjoy it.
THE KEY: LISTEN TO YOUR BODY’S MESSAGES
The secret is to exercise intuitively; That is, listen to your body to know what it really wants to do.
First of all, this may mean that you should expand your idea of what it means to exercise to encompass all the possibilities of healthy body movement.
Working out isn’t just about running, swimming, cycling, or following the instructions of the personal trainer at the gym. You also exercise by walking, dancing, or ice skating.
On the other hand, exercising intuitively means you don’t need rules like “I must go to the gym twice a week” or “I must run at least five kilometers to make it count.” If you exercise intuitively, in each moment you decide what you want to do.
INTUITIVE EXERCISE IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR NOT MOVING
So, does intuitive exercise give you an excuse not to exercise? No, because it tries to make you discover that your body has the physiological need to move and, therefore, you will exercise.
It’s similar to intuitive eating, in which you quickly realize that if you actually eliminate the so-called “dietary rules,” you won’t eat cake for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You will eat what your body needs.
It is possible that at the beginning of your discovery of intuitive exercise you spend a transition time and do less exercise than when you followed a routine that you did not like, but in the medium and long term you will discover what type of physical activity you need and motivates you.
The goal is that you get in shape the way you want, not because you have to do it anyway, according to fashions or ideas alien to you. Following this basic idea is much more likely to experience endorphin highs.
Here are some guidelines for incorporating exercise into your daily routines and adapting it to your mood.
AN EXERCISE FOR EVERY MOOD
WHEN YOU’RE BORED: DANCING
If you have lost interest in your exercise routine or simply find yourself unmotivated to play sports, dancing may be the solution you are looking for. Dancing not only gets you in shape, it’s a challenge for coordination. It is, therefore, a beneficial activity for the body and mind and cannot be said to be boring.
WHEN YOU’RE TIRED: YIN YOGA
Do you feel exhausted after a long day at work? First, ask if you need to exercise. You may have already moved enough. However, if you really feel that your body needs some kind of exercise, choose a gentle option like yin yoga. In this modality of yoga, the postures are maintained for longer, its objective is to gently stretch the muscles and increase the range of motion of the joints.
WHEN YOU’RE STRESSED: SWIMMING
If you’ve had a rough day, the last thing you should do is consider a stressful activity. However, stress can be reduced with physical activity. A type of exercise recommended in this situation is swimming because it involves some social and ensorial isolation. When you swim you are alone with you. You can practice it as if it were a form of meditation and relaxation.
WHEN YOU’RE FEELING SLUGGISH: HIGH-INTENSITY INVERTS
Do you sometimes feel like you’re in slow motion? Are your reflexes out of shape? Then maybe you need a type of training that combines gentle activity with brief moments of high intensity. This is also a type of training that is very beneficial for the metabolism and for the cardiovascular system.