Body
Body
Step 1 - Heal Your Physical Body.
Take the time to invest in your precious body.
Provide nourishment with the right foods. Take enough rest. Get moving.
Your body is a
"vehicle to do the work of mind, soul and spirit..."
"Some of us may lift weights, while others jog or row. Some practice Yoga, Tai Chi or the martial arts. We may swim, walk or climb mountains. The point is that we do something, and we do something with which we connect on a very primal level." (Michael J. Formica)
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Insights
Do Something
Do something. Anything that helps improve your physical body. You will see and feel a difference in your mood and body.
For twenty years, I sat at a desk for many hours each day.
I would stress-eat late at night and had no real awareness or control over my eating habits.
The result was bad posture, with hunched-up shoulders and extra body weight.
After leaving the corporate world, I started doing yoga to strengthen my body and improve flexibility.
I started eating better.
The end result was a weight loss of 14 kg in seven months, increased energy levels and feeling lighter and happier!
Within another month, I had reached my optimum body weight and shape.
Time and Rest
Allow yourself time to improve your physical body.
I deliberately did not set any timelines, as I did not want to put pressure on myself to lose weight by a certain time. I wanted to balance my family life with my intention to improve my physical fitness.
Listen to your body’s needs. Take rest when your body tells you it needs rest. Do nothing, and don’t feel guilty about it.
It’s tempting to step away from the corporate world and set rigid schedules, planning what exercise you’ll do on which days.
My advice is don’t do this.
Have a rough idea in your mind, but listen to your body. It will tell you what it needs.
Some days it needs flexibility exercise. Some days it wants strength or cardio. Some days it just wants rest and to do nothing at all. This is absolutely fine. Don’t feel guilty about taking a break.
Your mind, after years of being programmed to work in a particular way, will tell you, ‘It is not okay to rest, you must keep going. It is wrong to chill out.’
Let your intuition tell you what your body needs. Not the mind.
Do What’s Right for You
It’s so easy to be influenced by the shapes of the bodies you see on social media and all the latest fad diets.
Don’t blindly follow the crowd in terms of the ‘ideal’ body shape.
Set an intention to achieve your optimum body shape and weight.
Do what feels right for your body. Try different exercise methods and foods that resonate with you.
I started off with Les Mills Body Pump. I loved the high it gave me, and it was addictive. However, I knew deep down it was not sustainable long-term, because I could feel the niggles in my knees and joints from the weights.
I knew I did not want to have a too muscular physique and wanted a leaner, toned body, but strong. Hence, I turned to yoga, which is now a daily practice for me.
Losing weight and obtaining your ideal body shape is possible.
All you need is control, discipline and an awareness of what feels right for you.
Admittedly, it is easier to reach your ideal weight and body shape when you have time on your hands.
Even when time is limited, something is better than nothing.
Let Your Body Flourish
To give your physical body the best possible chance of reaching ’its optimum level, try and give up any addictions (e.g., smoking, sex).
Be the master of yourself, and do not let addictions control you and your life.