Bad Day? Go For A Walk!

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I am like a lot of people in that my eating habits (and drink habits…I love my wine!) are very much driven by my emotions. I work out regularly and that really does help keep me on track. I can have a horrible day, but an hour at the gym and I feel fantastic! All those great endorphins, not to mention the huge stress release.

 

But you can’ t workout all the time or what about rest days? I have a lot of friends who are really into yoga or meditation and I am true believer in their amazing benefits. I have tried both and have never been able to really stick with a practice for either. I always feel amazing after, but neither are something I really am motivated to do. Yoga I will occasionally get into the routine of doing – I have a Saturday morning class that I get to now and then. I have a rally hard time slowing down and in particular, “quieting my mind” – which is why I guess is why they call it a “practice.” But I know I am not alone in not being able to commit to this.

 

I have been having a rather rough time lately. I have a lot going on and I have been feeling rather stressed and overwhelmed. I even just had an amazing vacation and Day 1 back was a disaster! Totally killed my post vaca zen! HA! So this Sunday was a gorgeous day here in NY. Instead of going to the gym, I took a really long walk. Likely not the workout I would have had as compared to my normal Sunday spinning class, but mentally it did the world for me!

 

Even just walking, I tend to walk fast so I am sure I burned some calories and a little burst of endorphins is always a good thing. But more than that it just felt good to move, to get some fresh air and to feel the sun on my face. I listened to some great tunes and just got lost in my own world.

 

Walking for me is like meditation – I can totally get lost in the moment and can actually clear my thoughts when needed. Something I can’t seem to do with yoga or meditation. The other thing that walking really helps with, is that it allows me time (without distraction) to actually think about things. Whether it’s working out a problem or coming up with ideas, walking is my best time to do it. And in my own weird, type A personality…it is healthy multi-tasking! I work out my issues, spend time outside and get a bit of a workout all at the same time! I know that sounds a bit nuts, but it works for me.

 

The point being that I think we all have to find what works for us. I have spent years trying to make myself like yoga or meditation and I can’t say I will never do them or never enjoy them or that they will never one day be a part of my daily routine. But just like I will never be a marathon runner, it does not mean there are not other ways of meeting my physical goals or that I don’t occasionally like to run. Walking has become my “meditation” – it calms me, it clears my head and boosts my mood when I really need it. Even at work, it someone really annoys me and I am upset, I find if I can take 10 minutes away from my desk and just walk around the block, it sort of reset things. It really truly can be that simple!

We all have stress in our life and we have to find healthy ways to deal with it. For me, walking makes me feel good and also helps me to stick to my healthy habits. Before my walk on Sunday I wanted to lay on couch and each mint chocolate chip ice cream! After my walk, I felt energized and relaxed and actually craved veges and water!

 

So next time you have a bad day, put on those sneakers and walk it out!

Just Breathe

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So who amongst is not stressed? Day-to-day life can be demanding between school, work, family, etc. Have you ever seen anyone looking Zen during their daily commute? Whether you’re sitting in traffic or fighting your way into a crowded subway car, just getting to work can set your stress levels on overdrive before you even get there. Add to that the current state of the world; unrest and violence in multiple parts of the world , continuing fiscal doom, our elected officials acting like 5 year olds that don’t know how to play nice in the sandbox or how even normally “safe” places like schools and movies theaters don’t even provide the respite they use to. Just watching the news is enough to stress anyone out!

I always love the idea of being one of those people who could mediate and do yoga for hours. I see all these yoga teachers who just scream Zen existence with their gentle movements and soft, soothing voices. When I do actually take a yoga class I feel amazing after, but I have a really hard time relaxing and quieting the mind. Don’t even get me started on trying to meditate! Disaster! I am the typical New Yorker who only knows how to go at 100mph in everything I do – slowing down is just not in my vocabulary! I can’t lie, there is a big part of me that does love my “New Yorkness” and would not want to be any other way (I know you non-New Yorkers think we are all insane…and even we know we are a little crazy…), however being on constant overdrive does wear on the body.

Fortunately there are some, simple ways I have found to find my version of Zen, even if only for a New York minute. The power of breath is an amazing thing. I have heard this for years and in general just pooh-poohed it, but then I started reading some stuff by Dr. Andrew Weil and he inspired me to give it a shot. He recommended the following simple 4-7-8 breathing exercise¹:

· Inhale for 4 counts
· Hold breath for 7 counts
· Exhale fully for 8 counts (squeeze out as much of the air in your lungs that you can!)

I started out by repeating this 4 times every morning and now have increased it to 10 times. Although I have managed to slow down my morning routine a bit, so I am not running around like a crazy person dressing and shoveling my breakfast in my mouth all that the same time, weekday mornings are anything but relaxing. Taking that few minutes a day really calms me before I walk out the door. You know your day is going to be what it is, but I always feel like starting out on the right foot helps. We have all had those days where everything goes wrong; you oversleep, your shower runs out of cold water, you get halfway to work and realize you forgot something, etc…you know it is all downhill from there…

Those few minutes of conscious breathing have now become a part of my daily routine. And the great thing about it is you can do it anywhere! Even at work, when I am so frustrated at times I want to rip my hair out, instead of sitting there and fuming I go to the bathroom for a few minutes and just breathe. Now I will admit there are days I literally am in there 10 times (my colleagues must think I have the tiniest bladder on the planet!), but it does work! And I do think it trains your body to more easily get to that relaxed state when you most need it.

We don’t have control over a lot of things, but there are small things we can do that really do provide an incredible benefit. Hey if this crazy New Yorker can do it, so can you!

See below links for more information on stress reduction through conscious breathing and the impact of stress on the body:

¹Dr. Weil: Breathing Exercise

Dr. Weil: Art and Science of Breathing

Stress and Adrenal Fatigue

Stress Can Shorten Your Life Span