The sun is beautiful as it shimmers on the pond across the street. I can feel the warmth of it on my face. White fluffy clouds float in the sky. I enjoy different forms of exercise, especially ones that get me out of the house. I love that my work allows me to choose where and when I exercise.

When the mind speaks the body listens

Today, however, I chose not to exercise because my mind and body told me I needed a mini-break. That’s when I decided to work at my local library for a few hours. This picture is the view from my desk. I recently read a GirlTrek blog post quoting a Trekker who said, “the body does what the mind tells it.” In my case my mind was telling my body (based on the feedback my body was giving it) to take a little time off and recover from the previous weeks exercise.

No pain no gain…hogwash

The phrase “no pain no gain” is very popular. Unfortunately it’s a myth and one that can lead to exercise related injuries. Here are the facts:

• You will experience some muscle soreness when you are a beginner or progressing to the next level of fitness
• Normal soreness your body says, “wow that was different”
• Pain your body says, “somethings not right”
• Pain when you exercise is your body signaling you that something is wrong
• Excessive endurance exercise is linked to heart damage
• Listen to your body when it says it needs a break
• Alternating the type of daily exercise decreases your risk of injury
• 30 – 60 minutes of daily exercise is all you need

One Big Point

While exercise is very important you should never engage in exercise that increases your risk of injury. Give yourself permission to take mini-breaks, rest is an important part of your workout routine. For more information about this topic email me or post a message on my  Facebook page. #Movewiththespirit #justuswomen

In health & vitality,

Tamara