HEALTH YOURSELF
HOW TO FIND WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD
We invest in gadgets, stock up on supplements and sign up to gym classes to improve our health and wellbeing, but what if we told you the most powerful tool you have is actually free? In our new weekly column, JANINE THOMAS explains how using your body, mind and breath can help you sail through life — and it won’t cost you a cent. Each week she takes a different, often challenging, scenario and shows you how to make the best of it using the simplest methods.
LAST week my column on meditation provoked a few reactions. ‘Running is my meditation,’ said my sister, while a friend said her version was rock climbing.
I disagree. Physical activity can bring mental peace and clarity. However, it doesn’t allow us to sit with our thoughts in and relax in the same way as meditation. Instead the mind focuses on the activity in hand, keeping us very much in the present, and our brains can recalibrate. This is essential to our wellbeing, but in a different way and for different reasons.
Hobbies we enjoy, such as painting, gardening or cooking, work in this way, too. They soothe the mind and calm our systems. Heck, my husband argues that his motorbike commute gives him muchneeded headspace. He says it quietens the mind because he needs to be fully focused and aware to stay safe.
Exercise works on two levels — physical and mental — so it is particularly efficient in the way it keeps us happy and healthy. The problem is, we don’t do enough of it. A recent Healthy Ireland Survey revealed that only 32% of us undertake the recommended amount of physical activity (150 minutes a week), yet 40% want to do more. The excuse? Being too busy came top of the list for 43% surveyed.
How can you fit more exercise effortlessly into your life? First, you need to find what makes you feel good, both physically and mentally. There is absolutely no point taking up running if your knees hurt, in the same way as you should bypass the gym if you don’t like other people seeing you get all sweaty in your sports gear. If you don’t enjoy it or feel uncomfortable in any way, you will use every excuse not to go.
Making it fun is paramount — physical activity doesn’t have to be a slog. Think about the following questions:
Are you highly sociable or do you prefer to spend some free time alone?
Do you need the discipline of going to a class or are you motivated enough to go it alone? Are you driven by targets? What physical limitations do you have? Be realistic and think about what activities might work with your body. Are you by nature adventurous and do you enjoy learning new skills? What time do you have available? Are there gaps in your week to fit in exercise?
Are you willing to spend money on upping your physical activity? From this, make a short-list of what might suit you. Short on cash? Slot in a brisk walk and a chat with a friend every week or get stuck into the potato patch. Fancy something new? Join a club. Google local activities and you’ll find anything from kayaking clubs to trampoline courses and mad martial arts you have never even heard of. Need motivation? Sign up for a charity cycle. There really is something out there for everyone.
Whatever you choose, start small and gradually build up the amount you do so it subtly becomes part of your life.
Much as I love yoga, which helps me keep calm, strong and flexible, I know my body needs cardio exercise, too. I keep my yoga mat out in the lounge as a reminder and slot in short practices to suit my day, but cardio is hard to fit in when I work and have three young children.
A fold-up bike has been my saviour. I drive halfway to work, park on a residential road just inside the M50 and cycle to the office. My commute takes only 15 minutes more than driving the whole way. I’m saving petrol, keeping my heart healthy, and I still get home in time to put my babies to bed. But it’s about more than that. The fresh air wakes me up and makes me feel alive and free, no matter how tired I might be. And I get a buzz from passing cyclists riding slinky bikes when I’m on my clunky fold-up steed. Yes, it’s hassle to pack my bag but it’s more than worth it for the joy cycling brings to my life.
If you’re healthier, you’re happier, and if you’re happier, you’re healthier. If you can combine improving both through exercise it’s a win-win situation.