How often do you check in with yourself to ask about the “why” behind how you train or exercise? Are you working towards a specific goal or event? Do you just love the process of hitting the gym or pounding the pavement? Are you trying to burn as many calories as you can? As with anything health and fitness related, it’s important to have awareness around your habits and be mindful of your approach.
Ultimately, we all know that exercising is important for our health. Exactly what that looks like varies greatly. It depends on how you answered the questions above, alongside a whole host of other factors such as general health, previous injuries, and age to name just a few. But how do you know that what you are doing is actually achieving the desired result? And what are the signs that indicate it might be time to change things up or adjust the intensity?
There are, obviously, metrics by which you can track progress on speed, load and distance, but it is important to also consider how your training program impacts your health. Unless you are training for a specific event, which is going to push you outside of your comfort zone for a defined period, training for life/optimal health should be sufficiently challenging to elicit a response but also to allow for proper recovery.
You know what they say – variety is the spice of life. The same rings true as you train for optimal health. If all you ever do is cardio, you are likely missing out on the opportunity to build the strength needed to maintain muscle mass and bone density as you age. If all you ever do is bench press and squat, you will likely benefit from cardio to keep your heart functioning well.
More is not always better. Training until you are rolling around on the floor after each session is likely going to start breaking you down rather than building you up. It’s been proven that you will reap benefits from getting 8,000 steps per day rather than the 10,000 that advertising campaigns use to promote fitness trackers. If you’re training for optimal health and want to determine how well your exercise regime is treating you, consider the following:
– You feel some low-level soreness post-workout, but it does not interrupt sleep or leave you unable to carry on with everyday activities.
– You can climb your stairs without gasping for air or needing to hold on to a railing.
– You can carry your groceries, load and unload them from the car, or stow your own hand luggage in the overhead bins on a plane.
– You can play with your kids or go on a hike without issue.
– You can get up off the ground without help.
– You feel energized after working out rather than beat down.
– You believe exercise is a fun part of your day rather than a punishment; it’s an important part of your life, but your life does not entirely revolve around it.
Training for optimal health should also elicit a positive mental and emotional response. The body releases chemicals such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine when you exercise. These chemicals lift your mood and can have a profound effect on reducing depression, anxiety and stress. Regular exercise can (and should) provide an enormous sense of well-being and promote improved sleep and an increased energy level. If training has become a punishment or being used to earn food, it’s time to reflect on your why and maybe seek professional help to get back on a path that leads to a happy and healthy place.
Ultimately exercise should have a prominent place in everyone’s life. Find a plan or program that is enjoyable and therefore repeatable. Make sure you have a balance of cardio and resistance training as both are important for optimal health and, most importantly of all, stay present and aware of your habits and behaviors by checking with your why.
