We have a guest blog writer today. One of our very own ADIO Health practice members, Abby Maroko.
Hey Everyone!
Abby Maroko here guest writing for the ADIO blog. My fitlosophy is to empower people to empower themselves to live a fully-enjoyed and fully-expressed life.
A MIRACLE FORMULA: OUTDOORS + MOVEMENT
It’s no secret that regular exercise is the closest thing to a miracle drug or panacea for all dis-ease. Add in Nature — Mr. Sun and Mrs. Soil, Auntie Boulder(s), Cousin Wind, Grandmother Gravel, and the whole gaggle, and you’ve multiplied your anti-stress, pro-longevity recipe tenfold!
Now is the perfect time to combine the two. As we transition seasons from Winter to Spring, the sun is proclaiming a strong, natural message for our souls: “move and play.”
Whether your aim is to boost immunity, build muscle, increase endurance, or literally anything else, you should seriously consider “super-setting” nature with your next workout. Now is the time to put this into practice. This method has been tested by hand and foot, core and heart, by myself, my clients, and all thriving people throughout time.
WHY IT IS TIME TO GET OUTSIDE + MOVE:
- You will chill your nervous system. Environment profoundly matters when it comes to how well you can relax. Sometimes a hard-charging gym environment is not the best match for your nervous system. After a long day of work in the cast of a desk, a suit, a car, and a schedule, being in a space that speaks the vibrancy of “open” will osmotically inspire you to open up as well. Notice how your muscles relax when taking a trail walk as compared to a treadmill walk.
- You will boost your immunity. All of the stress-extinguishing aspects of nature allow your body to reach its homeostatic zone of optimal wellness. Breathing in phytoncides — airborne chemicals produced by plants — increases our levels of white blood cells, helping us fight off infections and diseases (mentalfloss.com). Sunbathing beats a bad mood — which from a top-down perspective can totally interrupt your body’s ability to heal itself. In fact, just a few minutes in the sun can be the threshold for transforming fatigue, tension, and depression into vitality, relaxation, and dynamism.
- You will feel more alive. How rad is that? Even in 300-days of sunshine Colorado, we experience ebbs and flows in the Winter season. The Sun staying out is your welcome invitation to enjoy and embody its radiance. Getting your heart rate up and tapping into your internal medicine cabinet of feel-good hormones will have you riding an alive high that you well deserve. At ADIO, we empower you to function at your ultimate potential. Empowering yourself to unlock that vitality means using the keys of movement and nature.
HOW TO GET OUTSIDE + MOVE:
How can we marry those two actions? Start with these three overarching principles.
- Treat the sun as your alarm clock. Neurobiologist Andrew Huberman has famously graced the world with his tips for giving your eyes exposure to the sun and moving first thing in the morning. This can be considered in the first hour of being up. The great gift of the sun is that, as it pours into your room, it can wake you up in a much gentler way than a buzzing, screaming alarm clock. Getting outside when you get up and spending 2-10 minutes under the sun sans shades will increase your serotonin and dopamine, and steer you away from what is called the “cortisol dead-zone” — a messy, dys-regulated cortisol rhythm, and shift you towards the cortisol awakening response —the nudge your hormones need to keep you alert during the day and sleepy when its time to hit the hay.
- Shinrin-yoku. This is a Japanese phrase meaning “forest bathing.” Essentially, you immerse yourself in a quieter area, surrounded by greenery, the chirps of birds, and vast space. We don’t live near a jungle, but we sure as heck live very close to many mountain ranges, trails, and parks. All it takes is saying “no” to the treadmill or elliptical and saying “yes” to the great outdoors to ignite and invigorate that life force inside you and all around you.
- View your movement as playful exploration. Sets, reps, and durations can be a great motivator, but also stifling. Break the strict structure and free yourself up to having an adventure as you move. Include: the unknown and unfamiliar (i.e. what rocks, twigs, ice, and animals you may stumble upon); a playful spirit (i.e. being curious and open to taking new routes); and wonder(i.e. connecting to how beautiful and miraculous it is that we can move our bodies as we can…sensing the nature around you…feeling your unity with nature).
If you are seeking more customized guidance on how to move and develop habits that feed your greatest vitality, book a free life fitness coaching consultation with Abby right here. Visit abbymarokofitness.com for more information on offerings and awesome blogs.
Here to empower you to empower yourself to thrive.
In Enthusiasm,
Coach Abby