Reigniting the motivation to exercise when you’ve been in a slump

One thing that is universal to us all in life is that we have a body that needs to be cared for and tended to throughout each and every cycle and age in life. Whether we are a baby, toddler, teen, young adult, middle aged or an elder, our bodies are a constant in our lives, reminding us to care, nurture and support ourselves.

One of the areas where this is most important is exercise (or movement).

Without true movement our bodies easily become heavy, both physically and energetically, contributing to a loss of vitality, vivaciousness and spunk. Everyone deserves to feel their spunkiness and to feel light and agile in their body and exercise goes a long way in supporting this.

How to get started if you’ve been in a slump?

It’s not uncommon to go in and out of phases with exercise and we see this occurring often with the change in seasons. Winter can be most challenging for many when it is so inviting to stay under the covers and warm rather than brave the cold morning air for a walk or workout.

Some simple tips to overcome this include:

• having your warm workout or walking gear ready beside the bed to change straight into
• making sure you have enough layers of good quality winter wear on to keep your body warm
• organising exercise dates with friends (this can be online or in person) AND
• having a space in your home set up for exercise that you enjoy being in
• joining a gym and/or signing up for a personal trainer (personal trainers cater for all ages and exercise needs)
• subscribing to an online exercise class that suits your needs

Exercising whilst the suns rising is a beautiful time of day and can make all the difference when it comes to being outdoors and rugged up in the cold.

What types of exercise are the best for vitality (and warmth)?

A good cardio workout contributes to a healthy heart and light vital body. Cardio exercise also warms the body more quickly than other forms of exercise such as stretching or weight training which are both also excellent for the body.

Cardio exercise could include a brisk walk, an aerobics (or aqua aerobics) class at the gym or even a dance in your living room for 10 minutes.

There is no set time that you need to exercise for although 20 minutes has been the recommended for years by health professionals. The most important thing is making a start and letting your body tell you when it’s had enough. This is a great exercise as it also develops your relationship with your body and its communication.

When getting back into an exercise regime, remember that consistency is key. Ask for support and talk to someone you are close to about it if you are finding it difficult.