Give yourself 10 NEW & IMPROVED motivators to move more throughout your day!

As we move into Autumn, many of us are trying to reset our routine, including finding our rhythm with daily movement and exercise, so here is:

My Top 10 unexpected reasons to move your body!! 

I'd say 90% of people I've worked with over the past 20 yrs have had weight loss as at least part of their goal to exercise, but this can be a really hard motivator as weight loss is so multi-faceted and results are slow.  So here are 10 more (better!!) reasons to move your body...  

The thing to remember before you read on; this doesn't necessarily mean actual exercise, like sweaty, hour-long, killer sessions.  Literally - MOVE YOUR BODY - physically move in different ways as often as you can - walk, dance, garden, stretch, do some chair yoga at your desk, do 5 minutes, or 50 minutes!  It ALL counts.

1 Energy Zing!!  When you're worn out, spinning plates and stressed to the eyeballs - adding exercise to your to-do list can feel overwhelming.  But when you give yourself a tiny bit of self-care time - a walk outside in nature, a run around the block, a dance around the kitchen to your fave tunes, and you get your blood pumping - the effect on your energy is instant.  You literally are BUZZING!

2 Brain food - our brain loves movement; it stimulates growth of our brain cells!!! This is down to the release of growth factors, proteins and chemicals which stimulate brain cells and blood vessels, PLUS improve our memory and reduce inflammation!

3 Aches and pains - sometimes it can feel counterintuitive, to move when you have achy bits, but moving regularly really does help.  Women often turn up to my sessions apprehensive because of an ache, but by the end, the aches have gone (maybe replaced by DOMS in the morning!).  Movement of any type leads to healthier joints, stronger muscles, more suppleness - so important as we get older (read: over 21)! 

4 Give your self-confidence a boost!  Just having the belief that you can consistently do it is a boost, but add to that the chemical release, the effects on your body, improved mood and mental well being - this is all a massive boost for your confidence!

5 To find joy - granted not everyone enjoys school PE, but I'm a firm believer that there's a type of movement out there for everyone - and when you find it, you'll find the JOY!!  With everything from hula hooping, aerial yoga, line dancing to lawn bowls on offer, have you found what sparks your joy?

6 Feel good chemical release - we get a lovely rush of dopamine and endorphins when we exercise - which is why it's so good for our mental health.  If you've been feeling a little low, maybe this could help? 

7 Digestion - moving regularly and exercising both give sluggish digestion a nudge.  It's like a little massage for your gut!  

8 Better sleep - thanks to a boost of serotonin - when we move more during the day, we sleep better at night.  It doesn't matter what type of movement - just that you do it regularly!

9 Friendship and community - everything's better together. We humans thrive in communities.  This is a great motivator, whether it's buddying up with an old acquaintance or building new friendships in a club or class, you'll make lasting connections. 

10 The main reason I move my body is so that I can keep moving my body...for the rest of my life!  Everything I do now, is for my future self.  I want to keep doing it today, tomorrow, the next day...so that I can still do it in 40 years time!

There are so many reasons for us to keep moving, to protect our health long term and make us feel amazing instantly.  in a busy world, it's easy to forget how important these reasons are to us. 

 What's your favourite reason to move?  How does it make you feel? Do you have a routine?

Next time, I'll be covering my Top 10 ways to move (when you're feeling zapped, have no time or feel shockingly unhealthy!) x