Happiness is made of... A Happy Body! (part 3)

This one is undeniable because human beings are connected in all kinds of matters. Looking back, though my circumstances could've been dreamy, my happiness in certain times had been lessened because my body wasn't taken care of and the opposite was true as well. When I was a little, my mother was a wonderful grocery shopper. She cared about what went into our bodies, always reading the ingredients on the back of boxes, looking for short lists and wary of scary sounding chemicals, etc. She made sure our meals were balanced, that we played, danced, wiggled, and got great sleep. This I am so grateful for. At some point, though, I became old enough to buy treats on my own, make my own meals, sneakily stay up late, and spend the whole day on the couch eating fruity pebbles and dino nuggets while she was working. Those kind of days can be splendid on occasion but how is a human being supposed to thrive when all they do is lay around? Not only does it take up the time that could otherwise be put to building a wonderful little life, it's not what the human body was made for.

The body is spectacular, you know this! It can travel the world, it can take you everywhere. You give it some breakfast and it's capable of thought, touch, taste, conversation, emotion, adventure, creating your dream life, creating human life. With all of that ability, doesn't it seem like you were created to move, to take advantage of all that it has to offer? Those gifts aren't just part time gigs, weekend activities, they are purpose. They're everything. We were made to move, walk, wander, swim.

Exercise is spoken of very oddly to me. It seems like a hobby. People say, "I don't exercise," like they say "I don't knit," and it makes me laugh! Because while knitting has great benefits to your soul like stress relief, skill, a way of making gifts for loved ones, or employment, those benefits aren't only available from knitting. The benefits of exercise are different. They're necessary for the health of your body now, in the future, and for your happiness! Your body needs the strength from movement, the prevention of diseases, and so much more. Your happiness needs the endorphins. Movement feels good because it's apart of you. If you despise the thought of exercise, you probably haven't found your method. I believe that there's a form of movement for everyone. Don't worry about having a hottie body. Don't worry about anything, just enjoy it.

Try different modes of movement until you find one that you absolutely love. Your personality can give hints to what you'll like. If you're chilled out, laid back, easy-going, peaceful, consider yoga. It doesn't have to be hippie yoga! There are people on Youtube and all over the place that leave the spiritual part out and focus only on stretching. If you are spiritual however, into meditation, try out the hippie kind. If you're goal oriented, consider weightlifting. You can go the olympic route that focuses on lifting your maximum weight capability. It can be so rewarding to continue getting stronger and see it in the amount you're able to lift. If you're into nature, move outside. Go on walks, hikes, bike rides, runs, anything, do it all if you want! There's so much to choose from. Just try it all out. See if you like running, if you prefer sprints over distance or vice versa. See if you like intense workouts or not. I've found for myself that I love feeling the muscles in my body working, but I'm not into workouts that make me breathe really heavy. Yoga, walks, hikes, and strength training are my favorites. I prefer bodyweight exercises, light weights, and resistance bands. I suppose I'm more of a laid back exerciser. Here's a video of Moose and I on a lil hike. So peaceful ~

Find a passion for health. Take it a bit at a time, reading an article on different kinds of workouts to see what there is to try then coming back after you've found something that you like and researching its benefits. Become passionate about the way that you move your body and how you feel because it plays into your happiness so, so much. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, regular exercise helps you to have control over your own body in weight, in fighting disease, maintaining healthy levels of sugar and insulin, IMPROVING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND MOOD, keeping your memory in tact when you're old and rusty, improving your sleep and chances of living longer. Those kinds of benefits are not just icing. They're not even benefits, they're necessary. You have likely heard that list a cajillion times and the reason for that is that some things are so important that people find the urge to continually talk about them.

You need to move your body.

Don't make it miserable. Don't do it to look like someone else. Do it to feel good. Your life will change if you take care of your sweet and loving body, in ways that you can't even imagine. Make it fun. Make it something that you look forward to all the time. Do everything with joy, especially the care of your mind, spirit, and body. You can do this. You are in control.

Hand in hand with movement is nutrition. There are so many wonderful perspectives on this piece of the cake, I encourage you to look into them all. Your food is fuel, the force that determines how well you're able to live your life, so it's vital to eat well. Throughout my life, I've wrestled with finding a suitable way for me to eat. One year ago, I went to the ER in the middle of the night because my body was furious with my food. It kicked off a journey I'd been on for a while, the one to intuitive eating.

Intuition is one of my favorite words. It's about connection and trust in oneself, the ability to know by heart. I'd tested out lots of ways to eat, but came to the realization that the best way for me to feel good is by listening to my body. After my trip to the ER, I dove into nutrition in search of foods that my body responded well to. One aspect of intuitive eating is realizing what your body does and doesn't need at certain periods of time. When there's a baby in your tummy, you crave random things. The same tummy that wanted pickles all day every day, may not when the baby is out and about. The same goes for every other time of life. We change and our bodies do too. Recognize your cravings in the moment. Recognize any irritability in your tummy, energy levels, mood. Donuts and dairy don't sit well with me, so I eat them sparingly. Some people feel energized by eating fats, some by carbs. That's one to find out for yourself about.

Another piece of intuitive eating is knowing when to eat. Your body will tell you what it's hungry for and when it's hungry. It will tell you when to start and stop eating if you listen. The way to hear is by deciding to be mindful throughout the day so that you're ears are open to hear the tummy say it's hungry and chewing slowly and without distraction so that you hear when it's all done. Be mindful of the fact that you're eating and when you eat, only eat.

Of course the last aspect, maybe the most important, is sleep.

When your head hits the pillow and those baby eyes close, the fairies come and work their magic. WebMD names seven benefits of great rest: "sharper brain", "mood boost", "healthier heart", "athletic achievement", "steadier blood sugar", "germ fighting", and "weight control". Those sound like a whole bunch of words so let me give you some stories for context. I'm a naturally happy person and quite honestly, unhappy feelings make me uncomfy so I kinda try to avoid or change them. I remember one day early this spring where I was blue, just glum, not enjoying the day. And in the kitchen as I thought about what was going on, it hit me. I was sleepy. Of course! Babies are grumpy when they're sleepy. I'm a baby. It made so much sense. On a good night's sleep, it's so much easier to feel alive, joyful, and ready to work and create. Mood and mind work the same way in this sense. Think about how quickly your head works depending on whether or not you've gotten good z's. Isn't it trickier to think when your brain hasn't had proper rest? Sleep is when our bodies regenerate. They heal injuries, reset, digest, and we dream to work through problems. If you're trying to tone up and aren't seeing results, sleep can have a lot to do with that too.

There's some insight for today. I hope it helps to inspire you to take care of your body. It really is connected to your heart, mind, and soul.

If you like this post and feel inspired to share it with a friend, on instagram or wherever, please do so! I always love to receive dm's on any topics you'd like to read about in the future, so feel free to send those in to my instagram @allymmmounga.

I love you, take care <3