I think when you hear some of the words like fitness, working out, gyms, weights, meal planning or prepping, and healthy clean whole food eating most automatically think about the impact they have on the external physical body only. We often only associate those words with how they make someone look not how they make someone feel. All those words to me represent and mean so much more than just what the eye can see. The positive impact they can have on you mentally far exceeds what you can see when you look in a mirror. It’s the way they make you feel on the inside is what I love about all those words the most.
In a time when mental health concerns are on the rise more than ever, I believe it’s time we really start digging into how important it is to take care of our bodies from the inside out as they require and should be taken care of.
The body and mind have certain requirements to feel good and operate at an optimal level and when you neglect them your mind and body will most definitely let you know it. They let you know in many ways, and it comes in different forms.
For instance, and this one is very common, lack of hydration, not drinking enough water will cause fatigue on the mind and body not to mention headaches and brain fog. Simply by drinking the daily recommended 2.7 – 3.7 liters of water a day could improve or lessen these issues you may be having. When you deplete your body of the hydration it needs and requires you can become highly agitated, short tempered, tired, and sluggish to name a few. Those symptoms sound familiar? Did you think for a minute that not drinking water could cause those feelings? Shocking right?
The same effects happens when you feed your body with sugar, processed foods, fast food, sugary drinks, alcohol, fried foods, and limited or zero healthy clean whole foods.
When you bog your insides down with junk that is exactly how you will feel on the outside as well.
Now for the physical movement part of this….
The human body requires physical activity, it craves it and loves it. When you do it on a regular consistent basis your body will thank you.
When you move your body and perform physical activities that increase your heart rate and make you sweat a little it releases those feel-good hormones into the body, and you almost immediately feel better, and it puts you in a more positive mental state. It puts you in a better mood and makes you feel more positive not only about yourself but about a lot of things around you. It helps with mental clarity, burns off some the agitation and stress we all feel, and boosts your immune system. You know why? Because it’s a requirement of the human body.
I understand that it can feel and seem overwhelming when you think of all the things you might need to do to get healthy mentally and physically. That is why it is so important to start small. Start with a walk outside, drink a little more water, watch your sugar intake. Pick one thing at a time and slowly implement new small changes. One small change can alter the course of a day I promise you this.
The more consistent you are the better you will feel, the more positive you will be, and you will truly start to feel better from the inside out.
Stay Strong, Friends! Tanya Moorehead
