Italian born yoga teacher, Vanda Scaravelli said “Movement is the song of the body.” How are you staying in tune with your body even as you stay home? Or have you given up entirely on staying fit? Here are some of the ways some of our readers are staying active. Hopefully, they’ll leave you feeling inspired to keeping moving.
Mary Murigah – HR Director, Smart Applications Group Limited
What does fitness mean to you?
Fitness is when every part of my body is functioning effectively and at optimum. I am breathing fine, I can climb up 10 floors and not punt, I can carry my grocery bags without strain, I can touch my knees with my forehead, I can do my 1 minute plunk and not feel like I’m about dying, I can dance for an hour non-stop, play with the kids and keep up with their energy for half an hour, accomplish my set goals for the day, and engage in crucial conversations. To me, that is fitness. I am particularly keen on ensuring my body and mind is in sync, working in alignment and physical exercise is a prerequisite to promoting that balance.
What is the relation between exercising and mental health?
Exercising obviously increases flow of blood which then helps circulate oxygen efficiently to all parts of the body. Our brains require sufficient, possibly an extra dose of oxygen to function optimally. I find running clears my mind and yoga brings it to balance. Whenever I exercise I’m much more positive and the thoughts I attract are healthier, triggering beautiful emotions which then make me attract a happier space. On the days I’m feeling mentally stressed, working out always clears the stress for me. I begin to get a new perspective of things and become more aware enabling me to deal only with what I can and not feel guilty about what I can’t. Oh I love exercise not for the activity itself coz I don’t but for the results.
What kind of exercises are you engaging in during this quarantine season?
I am jogging in the vicinity of my area code, I dance a lot with my kids and we also get a lot of indoor workouts from YouTube. I’m also helping quite a bit with the house chores which is good for my arms. You will not believe it but if you scrub the compound and bathrooms for 3 days in a week, you will not need to lift no weights.
Dancing is almost daily, jogging is on average 4 days a week, and yoga once a week.
Do you also watch your diet or it’s all about movement?
Oh I watch what I eat quite a bit. I’m not one to junk unnecessarily. First thing in the morning at 4am I drink 500ml of warm to hot water as I read. 5am I go for my workout and half hour later I do a bowl of fruits. I like to eat a main meal for breakfast, like ugali or rice, greens and my nyama, this keeps me away from snacking in the day and gets me drinking plenty water. It’s a real feast in the morning I must say. My nanny cooks for me a fresh meal every morning and saves me an extra one to go, so at lunch I have a full meal again. My last meal of the day will be at about 6pm and that will be quite a light one, sometimes just a herbal tea depending on how I feel. I haven’t managed to get my family on my eating program but I know one day they will appreciate. Fruits take up the bigger chunk of my groceries budget because my kids love fruits too and we do a lot of fresh juice and fruit smoothies.
Bryan Cuthbert- Kenya Association of Manufacturers North Rift Region Chairman
What does fitness meant to you?
First and foremost, despite feeling good after exercise, I take a military styled outlook where exercise is primarily physical maintenance. Just like any machinery needs regular, consistent maintenance, then where the right circumstances come together, I throw in exercise for fun! Although don’t categorise me as a fitness buff as execution is something else!
Do you believe there is a relation between exercising and mental health?
I am no expert but the effects of exercise on the mental state are enormous. You feel good, and are mentally sharper. The former due to endorphin, dopamine and serotonin release which are some of the feel good chemicals your body produces, while the later due to improved blood flow to the brain and release of BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor) and other brain chemicals targeting cognition improvement and other functions. Not to mention psychological benefits on emotions, stress and more.
What kind of exercise are you engaging in during this quarantine season?
I must admit I’m not a fan of home exercise unless I have the space and everything set up, thus in this quarantine season I’m still trying to get my act together. Nonetheless my exercise routine is split into two. There is workout A, which involves a high-intensity interval training bodyweight circuit for 40 minutes and workout B, where I use a stationary bicycle and push up bars. The push up bars allow a more forgiving angle for a previously broken wrist.
What is your frequency of physical activity?
At present, four days a week.
Do you also watch your diet or it’s all about staying fit?
My main diet objective when it comes to food is a low intake of carbohydrates, with high intake of green vegetables and protein. I’m crossing my fingers on fresh vegetable produce availability during this time.
Credit: Source link