Introduction
Everyone either exercises or realizes that they should. This is the reason gym memberships soar throughout January and February, and also why a late arrival to my Sunday Yoga class ensures extreme intimacy with my neighbor. The beginning of the New Year, every year, prompts nearly the entire population to remember there was something they had intended to add to their daily regimen, but either forgot due to other worldly concerns or simply lost interest because they could not bring themselves to enjoy physical exertion. Consequently the masses marvel at die-hard gym goers, happily concluding that they are crazy or selfish. In reality most people envy those that set time aside for themselves to exercise. Faithful fitness pursuers are perceived to have a lack of other responsibilities and/or selfishly devote time to themselves in vanity, neither of which are usually true. These people exercise to reap it's many advantages and increase their self-worth. The true benefits of exercise extend far beyond the superficial and physical attributes, reaching into the psychological and spiritual aspects of life as well; this drives the inherent urge for all people, indeed all animals, to exercise. Ask any hamster and they'll avidly express their passion for wheel-running.
Everyone either exercises or realizes that they should. This is the reason gym memberships soar throughout January and February, and also why a late arrival to my Sunday Yoga class ensures extreme intimacy with my neighbor. The beginning of the New Year, every year, prompts nearly the entire population to remember there was something they had intended to add to their daily regimen, but either forgot due to other worldly concerns or simply lost interest because they could not bring themselves to enjoy physical exertion. Consequently the masses marvel at die-hard gym goers, happily concluding that they are crazy or selfish. In reality most people envy those that set time aside for themselves to exercise. Faithful fitness pursuers are perceived to have a lack of other responsibilities and/or selfishly devote time to themselves in vanity, neither of which are usually true. These people exercise to reap it's many advantages and increase their self-worth. The true benefits of exercise extend far beyond the superficial and physical attributes, reaching into the psychological and spiritual aspects of life as well; this drives the inherent urge for all people, indeed all animals, to exercise. Ask any hamster and they'll avidly express their passion for wheel-running.
Still don’t believe me? Go into any bookstore and simply observe the sheer volume of books, magazines and electronics devoted to getting hard-core abs, fat burning tips and recipes for both food and physically healthy living. Explore further, the medical section addresses the social epidemics of depression and anxiety and each resource includes at least one chapter devoted to highlighting the phenomenal benefits of exercise on the psyche. Finally, courageously peruse the ‘don’t-kill-yourself’ section on self-improvement and spirituality, being careful not to be seen of course, and again examine the emphasis of building Self-Esteem and increasing awareness in the body through daily physical activity. In this section, the graceful art of Yoga becomes especially prominent. Even my European travel guide suggests moderate to vigorous exercise upon arrival to combat the effects of Jet Lag. Starting to get the point? It is critical to understand that while weight loss is the most well-known of exercise's benefits, there are many more advantages to be gained from consistent physical activity, which act to balance Mind, Body and Soul. Read on, Grasshopper.
PART I: No excuses, ‘Just Do It!’
Despite diverse and well characterized benefits, people find ample excuses to avoid implementing an exercise regimen. Its absence in their daily lives is most commonly attributed to time constraints, an inability to balance its importance against their other pressing tasks related to job and family, or a steadfast aversion to physical activity in general. I’d like to take this opportunity to declare ‘Shenanigans!’ I don’t care what they do or how busy their life is, everyone can sneak away for a 30-minute workout; no excuses! That small amount of time is really all that’s needed to reap the phenomenal profits related to exercise. Sadly, most people fail to realize they don't think they are worth 30-minutes a day for their own health; the crux of low Self-Esteem. Furthermore, I’m not asking for marathons runners, tri-athletes or Olympic champions here, simply continuous walking, gardening or house-work would suffice, but get that heart rate up! As for the truly determined exercise-haters, first consider my own story and if it doesn't inspire a feeling of, ‘Well, shit, I can do that,’ then hells-bells be lazy and happy with a life devoid of activity.
I’ve been big my whole life, and though I enjoyed walking and riding my bike occasionally, my long-standing adage was ‘Fat people don’t run unless they’re being chased.’ Five years ago, no longer able to tolerate the discomfort I felt in my own body at 5’3’ and 240 lbs, I began an exercise routine in my living room with ‘Hip Hop Abs.’ These infomercial exercise videos featured a jacked, flamboyant, homosexual who promised a tight and toned core, and the added benefit of gaining some sick moves for the dance floor. It was fairly obvious however, that the demographic was white house wives who did not have any inclination to dance anywhere but the comfort of their own homes. Still, I was too embarrassed to work out in a gym so this would have to suffice. Diligently following the schedule provided in the package, I locked my 9-week old Corgi puppy, Charlie, in his kennel each morning. There he would be safe from my bull-elephant-like tramplings as I ungraciously executed the dance moves along with my fellow hip-hoppers. Many mornings I felt I’d really rather die than get out of bed and do that stupid workout. I felt profound physical and emotional resistance from head to toe, my mind obsessing over the pointlessness of my efforts. I passionately hated every smiling face, ripped body, poorly mixed Hip Hop song and reference to moves like ‘The Ghetto Stomp,’ especially prior to seeing any physical results. Even worse, I felt fatter and more uncomfortable than ever before. But instead of taking my exercise that day by visually pulverizing those exercise-nuts, or jumping up and down on the DVDs, I put my feet on the floor and did the workout. Surprisingly, by the end of the 40-minute video I always felt great, both about myself for having conquered my initial malaise and about life in general. Those 40 short minutes magically transformed by abysmal disposition to an optimistic outlook, and prepared me for a full day of kicking-ass.
Pushing through this period of resentment is critical, and it’s something that everyone will have to face. Once settled into a habitual routine however, one experiences the first glimpse of the universal phenomenon known as ‘Runner’s High.’ This exhilarating experience is what keeps the Runners running, Bikers biking, Spinners spinning, Boxers boxing and Elliptisizers elliptisizing; that rush of positive energy and feelings which occurs after 10 to 15 minutes of exercise and persists all day. Even after 3 years of steady exercise the first 10 minutes of my run usually feels like absolute torture, but once I tough it out I reach that high and the rest of my workout flies by filled with inspiring ideas for articles, projects and major life decisions; intuition floods my Mind. Runner's High is pure optimism, and by defining it in the contexts of Body/Biological, Mind/Psychological and Soul/Spiritual, one can easily discern the universal benefits of exercise.
PART II: The Specifics: Body, Mind and Soul
a. Biological Runner’s High: The physiological release of brain chemicals, which cause sensations of euphoria, calm and also decrease the body's sensitivity to pain.
This is the conventional definition for Runner's High. For years scientists suspected Runner's High occurred as a result of the release of endorphins and other 'feel-good' neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, but the experiments were always inconclusive. Still considered to be contributing factors, the actual physiological mechanisms involved remained so elusive that many scientists gave up their research and proclaimed true biological Runner's High a myth. The studies conducted in the 1990's by Arne Dietrich, PhD, however, found the true culprit behind this phenomena. The summation of Deitrich's research, presented in a Runner's World Report, indicated that Runner's High is a result of the production of a blissful little fatty acid known as Anandamide. Anandamide occupies the same chemical receptor in the brain as THC, the molecule responsible for the effects of marijuana. So, the next time you want to get stoned save your money and your waist line, grab a pair of sneakers and hit the pavement or a treadmill. Seriously, this is how humans literally get high from running. This nifty molecule also significantly decreases the body's perception of pain, mimicking medicinal marijauna's treatment of chronic pain, and opens the blood vessels and lungs; all of which function to make vigorous physical activity enjoyable, less painful and easier in general.
How to Get High: A Step-by-Step Guide
[NOTE: I have not tested this, but it seems plausible. For me, I just get on a treadmill and run.]
[NOTE: I have not tested this, but it seems plausible. For me, I just get on a treadmill and run.]
Besides the release of anandamide, exercise has many other biological benefits, the body comes alive and awakens itself to its full potential. Physical exertion literally stimulates every system in the body, from individual cells to complex neuronal networks and increased organ function. Specific pieces of DNA are transcribed to RNA, that RNA is subsequently translated to proteins to sustain muscle repair and growth, mitochondria call for more oxygen to produce the primary energy molecule of the body ATP, the lungs dilate to take in more oxygen with each breath and the red blood cells increase their affinity and capacity for oxygen in response to the mitochondria's call, myosin motors and actin filaments use Calcium stores and the ATP produced in mitochondria to power the methodical contraction and relaxation of skeletal muscles ensuring flawless muscle movements (see video below), neurons transmit signals between the muscles, organs and brain to address coordination and energy needs, the liver releases sugar stores in the form of long glucose chains called glycogen to provide more energy, adipose tissue likewise mobilizes fatty acid stores for energy production (the basis for weight loss), and these are just a fraction of the mechanisms that have been investigated; many more remain to be discovered! It's an astoundingly mind-numbing and graceful cycle of energy production and expenditure.
Exercise also carries the major advantage of increased sleep quality and more reliable sleeping patterns. By far the most significant benefit offered by consistent physical activity is the natural correction of chemical imbalances in serotonin and norepinephrine, in small part due to improved sleep. These sustained imbalances lead to chronic depression and anxiety. Though scientists still debate over the exact processes responsible for these physiological phenomena, the evidence is irrefutable; exercise is extremely beneficial for the Body.
b. Psychological Runner’s High: The restoration of harmony between the Mind and Body, facilitated by the mindful release of negative emotions.
Let Flow and Let Go
This harmony is established by physically equalizing the pace of thoughts with the pace of the Body. How often do we sit, stock-still, allowing stressful thoughts to rapidly flash across our Minds like some sort of demon-possessed marquee? Don't let that Mind run away from the Body so easily, get up and move! When the Mind and Body operate at different speeds, typically with the Mind going faster than the Body although the opposite is also possible, wholeness is lost and both Mind and Body become anxious. I realize this concept is not easy to understand, but it's similar to feeling an 'out-of-body' experience which, by the way, is one of the hallmarks of all panic attacks. Therefore, it's critical to equalize their respective speeds, either by making them both fast or both slow. To bring the Mind down to the slower pace of the Body, one can meditate to quiet the mind. Successful meditation takes enormous effort and requires a lot of practice however, so I prefer kicking my ass into gear and running with the Mind; it works every time and comes naturally to everyone with freely flowing limbs. Again, when the Mind is running, making the Body physically catch up will naturally bring them back into balance and the person regains their sense of unity, happiness.
As the Mind and Body begin running together, they can finally have a civilized conversation and address the issues specific to each. This is the emotional release aspect of exercise. Listen to that conversation, the Mind will likely spew forth a stream of anxious thoughts such as 'I have an exam tomorrow so I have to study, and I also have homework to do, and I have unpaid medical bills that may put me in collections and effect my credit score, so I have to work more hours to pay those bills but I also need to study and meet friends for dinner the day after tomorrow, oh I love this song, but I just know my boyfriend/girlfriend wants to break up with me, and my Mom could get sick at any moment, and my dog may puke on the floor because he likes to eat cat shit, and I rarely sleep well which makes my feel tired and lazy, and my father called me fat when I was 5.......' Here's what the Body has to say, 'Let's just keep running because there's some crazy bitch/bastard either chasing me or constantly running away from me.' Stay with the Body, it rarely has the plethora of the issues on which the Mind dwells for no other purpose but to hear itself talk. Simply run, let the thoughts flow, and enjoy that sensation of release with each stride. Allow the Mind to let go of all the problems it had in the past or anticipates having in the future, they aren't real. [For further contemplation of letting go of dysfunctional thoughts see 'Thoughtful Diffusion']
We tend to lead with our Minds and ignore our Bodies because we can literally hear our Minds by way of our inner voice and thoughts. Other than the occasional cracking joint, burp, fart or rumbling stomach, we rarely hear what the Body has to say and end up dismissing it without consequence when we do hear something. What could a fart possible have to tell you? Maybe that you shouldn't have had that 2 pound Chipotle burrito with extra hot sauce. By consistently suppressing our Body's wishes, again the Body and Mind become unbalanced and anxiety will ensue. While we exercise it is much easier to check-in with the body. Ask, 'How are you feeling?' and prepare to be astonished because it will answer if you learn to listen. Hell, sometimes it even screams the answer; 'I LOVE THIS!' or 'STOP, I JUST BUSTED SOMETHING.' Whether bad or good, it demands the attention it deserves yet rarely receives.
Combating the Mind's Negative Effects on the Body
Though the Body is an entity in it's own right, it is also under the control of the Mind. This is another reason why almost all people find it difficult to tune into their Body, and still more difficult to discern how we feel from how we think we feel. What we feel and experience in our Bodies is a consequence of how the Minds thinks we should feel, or expects the Body to feel considering certain circumstances and/or its surroundings. For example, we think we look fat so we feel fat and lethargic, which decreases our Self-Esteem, keeps us from exercising and maintains guilty thoughts regarding what we eat. Chronic sufferers of insomnia go to bed expecting that sleep will elude them, and they are never disappointed. For some, certain environmental changes cause Migraines, so their Mind likewise expects Migraines when those cues are given by nature. I'm not saying that these afflictions are not real, rather I'm am suggesting that an element of the illnesses lay in the Mind's anticipation of them, which will inevitably manifest the issue in the Body. For example, I suffer from Panic Attacks. My first attack occurred while I was driving, so that became a trigger for my Mind to manifest physical symptoms of panic. When life's uncontrollable events caused elevated stress levels, I sometimes found it damn near impossible to drive; at least until I realized those anxious feelings were simply a habit that my Mind inflicted on my Body. With that awareness, I was able to break that habitual thinking pattern and my car-related anxiety subsided. Ever notice that feelings of hunger arise only when the Mind believes it's time to eat? Miraculously, when the Mind is otherwise engrossed in a project that requires all it's focus the Body can go an entire day without feeling hungry. Food for thought, pun intended.
Fun fact: Stressful, negative, anxious and depressing thoughts have enormous detrimental effects on our Bodies when we trap them in and fail to release them through activities like exercise. Thoughts produce emotions which, like it or not, manifest themselves in the body as muscle tension and even pain; ask anyone with clinically diagnosed Depression or Anxiety, or a psychologist/MD. People with Depression commonly suffer from Fibromyalgia, deep neurological muscle pain with no known origin and for which there is no direct treatment. While working at the MS Center my colleauge coordinated a trial studying the effectiveness of duloxetine (Cymbalta) on Fibromyalgia pain, a common condition found in MS patients. Here's the point: duloxetine was FDA approved in 2004 for the treatment of Depression and GAD, issues within the Mind; yet Fibromyalgia is pain located either throughout, or in some specific area of, the Body. Critically, this chemical is treating a symptom routed in the Body indirectly via the brain!
Here's a couple more examples to drive my point home. I have had the hips of a 90 year-old woman since I was 13, coincidentally(?) around the time I found out I had stomach ulcers from excessive worry. Every time I moved they'd snap, crackle and pop like a bowl of friggin' Rice Krispies. Knowing my hips tended to be tight and cause discomfort during exercise, I began to methodically work on them using Yogic techniques and hip-opening poses. Mysteriously, every time I'd do the stretches I'd be overcome with negative emotions; in the beginning they even provoked avoidance of the practice. I pushed through the emotions eventually subsided and my hips improved dramatically, making my runs far more enjoyable. One random day I read in the 'Anxiety and Phobia Workbook' that feelings of worry get trapped in the hips. BINGO! The flood of emotions I felt during my poses were actually the release of 14 years accumulation of worry; that's a lot for my hips to carry around, and I could physically feel the relief. Likewise, my mother suffers from chronic sciatica, shooting nerve pain from the hips through the legs, for which there is no pharmaceutical treatment only stretches for improvement of posture and blood-flow. She also gets head colds that knock her off her feet for a couple days about once a month. My mother suffers from a larger issue however, dealing with the monumental stress of operating a bar/restaurant business and daily interactions with morons of the most acute nature. Her frequent illnesses are a result of chronic stress which is cemented in her Body. Furthermore, she's confessed that she actually enjoys these problems since they offer her the only source of relief from the daily stress. When she's sick neither she, nor anyone else, expects her to work and she can rest without feeling guilty or lazy. In the process, she's completely abusing her Body. Honestly, I think a daily 30-minute power-walk would be preferable to 3 days of horrible ass-pain, but to each their own. I have the up-most respect for my mother, the burdens she endures with ease are astonishing, but she also understands that I want her to relieve her stress in more productive ways. Be kind to the Body; exercise is a wonderful and enjoyable way to alleviate such stress without abusing the Body by repeated illness.
In conclusion, it is critical to treat the underlying source of nearly all Bodily issues, daily perpetual stress. One can manage this stress easily and inexpensively through consistent activity and watch the physical ailments magically disappear, sans pills. Let me state outright that I am not some holistic, tree-hugging, pill-hating, post-modern hippie; quite the opposite. Many people have serious psychological and medical conditions which require medication, and I've spent the better part of my career caring for MS patients, taking them through research trials to test new therapies for the disease. Additionally, I currently work for Amgen pharmaceuticals. Rather, I simply wish to offer a simpler solution that also carries the benefits of higher effectiveness and no side effects. Next time you're feeling a bit squirrely, act like a squirrel and run instead of popping that Xanax. After all, the nominal cost associated with running sure beats the hell out of health care premiums.
As the Mind and Body begin running together, they can finally have a civilized conversation and address the issues specific to each. This is the emotional release aspect of exercise. Listen to that conversation, the Mind will likely spew forth a stream of anxious thoughts such as 'I have an exam tomorrow so I have to study, and I also have homework to do, and I have unpaid medical bills that may put me in collections and effect my credit score, so I have to work more hours to pay those bills but I also need to study and meet friends for dinner the day after tomorrow, oh I love this song, but I just know my boyfriend/girlfriend wants to break up with me, and my Mom could get sick at any moment, and my dog may puke on the floor because he likes to eat cat shit, and I rarely sleep well which makes my feel tired and lazy, and my father called me fat when I was 5.......' Here's what the Body has to say, 'Let's just keep running because there's some crazy bitch/bastard either chasing me or constantly running away from me.' Stay with the Body, it rarely has the plethora of the issues on which the Mind dwells for no other purpose but to hear itself talk. Simply run, let the thoughts flow, and enjoy that sensation of release with each stride. Allow the Mind to let go of all the problems it had in the past or anticipates having in the future, they aren't real. [For further contemplation of letting go of dysfunctional thoughts see 'Thoughtful Diffusion']
We tend to lead with our Minds and ignore our Bodies because we can literally hear our Minds by way of our inner voice and thoughts. Other than the occasional cracking joint, burp, fart or rumbling stomach, we rarely hear what the Body has to say and end up dismissing it without consequence when we do hear something. What could a fart possible have to tell you? Maybe that you shouldn't have had that 2 pound Chipotle burrito with extra hot sauce. By consistently suppressing our Body's wishes, again the Body and Mind become unbalanced and anxiety will ensue. While we exercise it is much easier to check-in with the body. Ask, 'How are you feeling?' and prepare to be astonished because it will answer if you learn to listen. Hell, sometimes it even screams the answer; 'I LOVE THIS!' or 'STOP, I JUST BUSTED SOMETHING.' Whether bad or good, it demands the attention it deserves yet rarely receives.
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Who remembers Tony Little and his Gazelle? This nut was onto something, and just look at that muscle definition!
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Though the Body is an entity in it's own right, it is also under the control of the Mind. This is another reason why almost all people find it difficult to tune into their Body, and still more difficult to discern how we feel from how we think we feel. What we feel and experience in our Bodies is a consequence of how the Minds thinks we should feel, or expects the Body to feel considering certain circumstances and/or its surroundings. For example, we think we look fat so we feel fat and lethargic, which decreases our Self-Esteem, keeps us from exercising and maintains guilty thoughts regarding what we eat. Chronic sufferers of insomnia go to bed expecting that sleep will elude them, and they are never disappointed. For some, certain environmental changes cause Migraines, so their Mind likewise expects Migraines when those cues are given by nature. I'm not saying that these afflictions are not real, rather I'm am suggesting that an element of the illnesses lay in the Mind's anticipation of them, which will inevitably manifest the issue in the Body. For example, I suffer from Panic Attacks. My first attack occurred while I was driving, so that became a trigger for my Mind to manifest physical symptoms of panic. When life's uncontrollable events caused elevated stress levels, I sometimes found it damn near impossible to drive; at least until I realized those anxious feelings were simply a habit that my Mind inflicted on my Body. With that awareness, I was able to break that habitual thinking pattern and my car-related anxiety subsided. Ever notice that feelings of hunger arise only when the Mind believes it's time to eat? Miraculously, when the Mind is otherwise engrossed in a project that requires all it's focus the Body can go an entire day without feeling hungry. Food for thought, pun intended.
Fun fact: Stressful, negative, anxious and depressing thoughts have enormous detrimental effects on our Bodies when we trap them in and fail to release them through activities like exercise. Thoughts produce emotions which, like it or not, manifest themselves in the body as muscle tension and even pain; ask anyone with clinically diagnosed Depression or Anxiety, or a psychologist/MD. People with Depression commonly suffer from Fibromyalgia, deep neurological muscle pain with no known origin and for which there is no direct treatment. While working at the MS Center my colleauge coordinated a trial studying the effectiveness of duloxetine (Cymbalta) on Fibromyalgia pain, a common condition found in MS patients. Here's the point: duloxetine was FDA approved in 2004 for the treatment of Depression and GAD, issues within the Mind; yet Fibromyalgia is pain located either throughout, or in some specific area of, the Body. Critically, this chemical is treating a symptom routed in the Body indirectly via the brain!
Here's a couple more examples to drive my point home. I have had the hips of a 90 year-old woman since I was 13, coincidentally(?) around the time I found out I had stomach ulcers from excessive worry. Every time I moved they'd snap, crackle and pop like a bowl of friggin' Rice Krispies. Knowing my hips tended to be tight and cause discomfort during exercise, I began to methodically work on them using Yogic techniques and hip-opening poses. Mysteriously, every time I'd do the stretches I'd be overcome with negative emotions; in the beginning they even provoked avoidance of the practice. I pushed through the emotions eventually subsided and my hips improved dramatically, making my runs far more enjoyable. One random day I read in the 'Anxiety and Phobia Workbook' that feelings of worry get trapped in the hips. BINGO! The flood of emotions I felt during my poses were actually the release of 14 years accumulation of worry; that's a lot for my hips to carry around, and I could physically feel the relief. Likewise, my mother suffers from chronic sciatica, shooting nerve pain from the hips through the legs, for which there is no pharmaceutical treatment only stretches for improvement of posture and blood-flow. She also gets head colds that knock her off her feet for a couple days about once a month. My mother suffers from a larger issue however, dealing with the monumental stress of operating a bar/restaurant business and daily interactions with morons of the most acute nature. Her frequent illnesses are a result of chronic stress which is cemented in her Body. Furthermore, she's confessed that she actually enjoys these problems since they offer her the only source of relief from the daily stress. When she's sick neither she, nor anyone else, expects her to work and she can rest without feeling guilty or lazy. In the process, she's completely abusing her Body. Honestly, I think a daily 30-minute power-walk would be preferable to 3 days of horrible ass-pain, but to each their own. I have the up-most respect for my mother, the burdens she endures with ease are astonishing, but she also understands that I want her to relieve her stress in more productive ways. Be kind to the Body; exercise is a wonderful and enjoyable way to alleviate such stress without abusing the Body by repeated illness.
In conclusion, it is critical to treat the underlying source of nearly all Bodily issues, daily perpetual stress. One can manage this stress easily and inexpensively through consistent activity and watch the physical ailments magically disappear, sans pills. Let me state outright that I am not some holistic, tree-hugging, pill-hating, post-modern hippie; quite the opposite. Many people have serious psychological and medical conditions which require medication, and I've spent the better part of my career caring for MS patients, taking them through research trials to test new therapies for the disease. Additionally, I currently work for Amgen pharmaceuticals. Rather, I simply wish to offer a simpler solution that also carries the benefits of higher effectiveness and no side effects. Next time you're feeling a bit squirrely, act like a squirrel and run instead of popping that Xanax. After all, the nominal cost associated with running sure beats the hell out of health care premiums.
c. Spiritual Runner’s High: The song your Soul sings as it both acquires and projects positive energy.
One Sunday morning before Yoga I ran, as I usually do, to warm up my muscles and say 'Good Morning' to my Body. At first the exertion felt physical forced and mentally painful; I resisted the activity, wishing I was anywhere but on that treadmill. Instead of stopping however, I quieted that resentment by telling myself to relax. Running is time I take for myself to reflect, breath, listen to some fast-paced kick-ass Hip Hop and enjoy the energetic vibe one often experiences at a gym. This energy is akin to what one feels from crowds at concerts and sporting events, the collective buzz of excitement. That's when I realized this energy was actually the summation of all the sounds of the equipment and people at the gym; the hum of the machines, the panting of the runners, the splashing from the swimmers and the grunts of the weight-lifters. They all meld to produce a song my Soul happily sings along to once it is able to hear the music over the noise created by my own negative thoughts. The Soul absorbs that song as fuel. Still better is when we can enter the gym, guns-blazing, our Souls already head-banging to our own song which stimulates other uninspired Souls to rock-out along with us. The Soul thus projects fuel for others. Whether we are the positive influence, or are relying on the influence of others to bring us up, it all balances out and the end result is all Souls, all energies, helping one another to elevate negativity and create one massive positive energy flow.
To better understand this exchange of energy, consider this example. Every morning at 5:30am sharp I watched from my elliptical as a slender, muscular, young man burst into the club, one or both fists enthusiastically pumping away to the music in his own head. He'd simultaneously skip and run up the stairs to the same treadmill, where he'd proceed to sprint at about 11 mph like a fucking gazelle. His energy was awe-inspiring, and I lovingly referred to him as 'Crazy Guy.' This kid embodied Runner's High by all definitions and one thing was certain, his Soul was radiant with song; I could hear and feel it. His song was contagious and I always caught a buzz from his positive energy, a smile immediately spreading across my face every morning upon his arrival. I was not the only person to catch the virus, a glow shimmered in every eye laid upon 'Crazy Guy.' Though convinced he was either on speed or self-medicating some sort of overactive adrenal disorder, he motivated me to take-up running. Until watching him I stayed away from treadmills, believing I hadn't yet lost enough weight to run on a treadmill without hurting myself or feeling disappointed by my lack of proficiency. Desiring to run like 'Crazy Guy,' I slowly but surely began to train on the treadmill behind him, and after a month I had worked my way up from walking for only 10 minutes to moderately jogging for 30 minutes, allowing his repetitive strides to propel me forward. Without the energy provided by his Soul's song, I would have never began running and learned to sing my own song.
Yoga also provides a compelling example of the Soul's ability to project positive energy with the added benefit of increasing Self-Esteem. For more, refer to my definition of Yoga. Self-Esteem is a spiritual experience because it requires an awareness of the whole self Mind, Body and Soul; it isn't simply how we see our bodies in a mirror, it's our capacity to love our bodies as well as our thoughts, emotions and actions, despite their innate inclination towards dysfunction. Exercise, and particularly Yoga, significantly improves Self-Esteem by enabling the Body to feel powerful and mindful of its actions. One adjustment added to all Yoga poses is described as 'opening the heart,' which requires the shoulder blades to press down and together. This movement naturally opens and lifts the chest, aligns the spine and provides a more stable foundation of balance. I began to notice that each time I made this simple adjustment I felt physically lighter and mentally happier. The combination of these sensations made my Soul sing; I was glowing and radiating positive energy to be enjoyed by both myself and my classmates. Consequently this made my Mind happier, and my Body and Soul feel stronger. Every Yoga pose is entered into with full awareness of mind and muscle, which creates a balance routed in the Soul. This unity stimulates profound impressions of worth and strength that elevates Self-Esteem.
Perhaps you're thinking 'I've done a lot of running and haven't heard shit.' Have you been listening in earnest? First practice controlling the volume of your negative thoughts, the worry, the frustration, the guilt, and the resentments. Allow the Mind to become quiet otherwise it cannot hear the Soul's song. Running will propel you there faster since, as described above, physical activity enables negative thoughts to flow out inconspicuously instead of playing loudly on repeat. One simple way to quiet the Mind is to listen to the breath, which is especially easy when you're panting like a dog; breath mindfully, letting the sound of the in-and-out flow engulf the Mind's attention. Once those thoughts become quiet, everything else becomes effortless and the Soul begins to sing its jubilant tune. So whether it’s 'Go, Go Power Rangers,' 'Walking on Sunshine,' the tri-toned 'La, La, La' sung my the pig Babe, 'Party Rockin,' or something more original, the Soul's song will flood the Mind and Body with positive thoughts and feelings which in-turn flow out, motivating others and uniting with surrounding energies.
To better understand this exchange of energy, consider this example. Every morning at 5:30am sharp I watched from my elliptical as a slender, muscular, young man burst into the club, one or both fists enthusiastically pumping away to the music in his own head. He'd simultaneously skip and run up the stairs to the same treadmill, where he'd proceed to sprint at about 11 mph like a fucking gazelle. His energy was awe-inspiring, and I lovingly referred to him as 'Crazy Guy.' This kid embodied Runner's High by all definitions and one thing was certain, his Soul was radiant with song; I could hear and feel it. His song was contagious and I always caught a buzz from his positive energy, a smile immediately spreading across my face every morning upon his arrival. I was not the only person to catch the virus, a glow shimmered in every eye laid upon 'Crazy Guy.' Though convinced he was either on speed or self-medicating some sort of overactive adrenal disorder, he motivated me to take-up running. Until watching him I stayed away from treadmills, believing I hadn't yet lost enough weight to run on a treadmill without hurting myself or feeling disappointed by my lack of proficiency. Desiring to run like 'Crazy Guy,' I slowly but surely began to train on the treadmill behind him, and after a month I had worked my way up from walking for only 10 minutes to moderately jogging for 30 minutes, allowing his repetitive strides to propel me forward. Without the energy provided by his Soul's song, I would have never began running and learned to sing my own song.
Yoga also provides a compelling example of the Soul's ability to project positive energy with the added benefit of increasing Self-Esteem. For more, refer to my definition of Yoga. Self-Esteem is a spiritual experience because it requires an awareness of the whole self Mind, Body and Soul; it isn't simply how we see our bodies in a mirror, it's our capacity to love our bodies as well as our thoughts, emotions and actions, despite their innate inclination towards dysfunction. Exercise, and particularly Yoga, significantly improves Self-Esteem by enabling the Body to feel powerful and mindful of its actions. One adjustment added to all Yoga poses is described as 'opening the heart,' which requires the shoulder blades to press down and together. This movement naturally opens and lifts the chest, aligns the spine and provides a more stable foundation of balance. I began to notice that each time I made this simple adjustment I felt physically lighter and mentally happier. The combination of these sensations made my Soul sing; I was glowing and radiating positive energy to be enjoyed by both myself and my classmates. Consequently this made my Mind happier, and my Body and Soul feel stronger. Every Yoga pose is entered into with full awareness of mind and muscle, which creates a balance routed in the Soul. This unity stimulates profound impressions of worth and strength that elevates Self-Esteem.
Perhaps you're thinking 'I've done a lot of running and haven't heard shit.' Have you been listening in earnest? First practice controlling the volume of your negative thoughts, the worry, the frustration, the guilt, and the resentments. Allow the Mind to become quiet otherwise it cannot hear the Soul's song. Running will propel you there faster since, as described above, physical activity enables negative thoughts to flow out inconspicuously instead of playing loudly on repeat. One simple way to quiet the Mind is to listen to the breath, which is especially easy when you're panting like a dog; breath mindfully, letting the sound of the in-and-out flow engulf the Mind's attention. Once those thoughts become quiet, everything else becomes effortless and the Soul begins to sing its jubilant tune. So whether it’s 'Go, Go Power Rangers,' 'Walking on Sunshine,' the tri-toned 'La, La, La' sung my the pig Babe, 'Party Rockin,' or something more original, the Soul's song will flood the Mind and Body with positive thoughts and feelings which in-turn flow out, motivating others and uniting with surrounding energies.
PART III: The Balance
People prone to perfectionism, extremism and addiction in general must be especially careful as it is very easy to abuse exercise. Under certain circumstances, a healthy fitness regimen can become quite dangerous. When this happens, it is counterproductive to all of exercise's benefit as it increase stress levels both physically and mentally, harming Body and Mind. For that reason, I feel the need to express the need for balance as a critical component of all healthy exercise schedules. This balance between healthy and unhealthy exercise ironically lies, not in the actual workout routine, but rather the motives behind the desire to workout.
To convey the dysfunctional thoughts which transform healthy activity to unhealthy activity, I will relate my own tragic tale. I began Hip Hop Abs sincerely, wanting to become healthy, fit and, yikes, I'll even own that I wanted to look hot in order to rope-in a boyfriend for the first time in my life. Still, on the whole I wanted to change for my own benefit, which is the correct motive; but that motive changed from good to bad to worse throughout phases of my weight loss. My reduction progressed almost effortlessly until I plateaued at 165 lbs. In fact, other than changing my food intake to account for my ever-decreasing body weight and switching from Hip Hop Abs to Turbo Jam + Bartending, I didn't alter my workouts at all. Suddenly I was stuck, and very scared that I wouldn't reach my goal weight of 130 lbs. It didn't take my biological Mind long to figure out that if I worked out more, I'd proportionately lose more weight. With that intention my workouts turned from fun and goofy to intense, as I felt a compulsive need to reach my goal. Admittedly, I've always been a goal-oriented extremists with an all-or-nothing attitude. Though it served me well in my academic endeavors, this personality trait was now throwing me off balance and leading me down a path towards exercise addiction. Continuing under the guise of healthy motives, I began exercising multiple times a day, multiple hours at a time. As a result my weight dropped to 145 lbs, but again I leveled out. At my worst I was exercising in excess of 3 hours a day and lying about my workout schedule to evade concerns expressed by friends and family. I had done this for over 2 months but my weight never budged from 145 lbs; I had subsequently lost my menstrual cycle, suffered from frequent hypoglycemic attacks, my anxiety and panic was off the charts, and my scalp was easily visible through my thin, brittle hair. Here's the magnificently humiliating fact: I HAVE A MASTERS IN BIOLOGY. I knew full-well that a starved body will not, and cannot, lose weight. Indeed, gain weight becomes more probable as the Body stores every ounce of food consumed, as well as slowing the metabolism to an absolute crawl to protect reserves. Anyway, a random bought of Vegas-fever cured this horrible habit long enough to drop me down to 130 lbs, but I had already solidified my addiction.
After I was down to my goal weight thoughts regarding my exercise schedule shifted yet again, this time I had to somehow learn to maintain my new and mysterious Body. How exactly does one learn to maintain a weight when dieting has been their life for almost 2 years; is there an un-diet? I had no idea how much to eat or how much to workout, and I was positively terrified of regaining weight. In an attempt to figure how to control this magic number, I joined a clinical trial that told me exactly how many calories I burned during my day-to-day activities so that I could balance my exercise regimen with my food consumption and manage my weight. Great, right? Wrong. The data reported told me what I had suspected all my life, I have a naturally snail-paced metabolism. Compared to someone of the same height and weight, I burn around 300-400 calories less in a typical day. It was official: God hates me. I could now continue my wicked ways carrying a signature victim flag, a component of the Slow Metabolism Club's welcome packet. My workouts were now necessary to combat my dreadfully slow metabolism, a burden imposed upon me by genetics. Exercise ceased to be enjoyable, I even began resenting workouts. They were now an obligation, and I truly believed that if I missed so much as one session I was doomed to instantly balloon out to 250 lbs. This is the direct danger of being an extremist; I was either going to be obese or emaciated, nothing in between was tolerable despite my Body giving me very clear signs that it was happiest at 145 lbs, past which it refused to grow hair or menstruate.
I'm horrified to admit that this mentality, though steadily decreasing over the last 2 years, has continued to rule my life until about 2 months ago, and I will continue to live with this tendency towards imbalance in some respects my entire life. So what changed recently? Once again, I shifted my motives for exercising and realized something phenomenal, that I don't need to workout at all. I partake in physical exertion for all of the beneficial reasons detailed in Part II, none of which have anything to do with weight loss! Ironically I exercise more now than I ever did before, dedicating an hour of my day to physical and mental health with a combination of cardiovascular, resistance and Yoga training; but I do it because it's something I truly enjoy, not activity required to stay thin. When it's not feeling up to it, my Body tells me to back off or take a rest day and I always try my best to listen, sometimes striking a compromise for my Mind's sake. Exercise needs to benefit both the Body and the Mind. As in any relationship, when an activity functions to serve one more heavily than the other, you've reached a point of harmful imbalance.
This abuse of exercise does not just originate from obsessions with weight however, which is evident from my friend's story of how exercise became her only defense against uncontrollable Depression. Working out over 4 hours a day provided her the only comfort she'd experienced since the onset of the debilitating depression. Having gone through recent relationship turmoil, she turned to exercise to extract her feelings of pain and loss. She also wasn't eating or sleeping, and her Body quickly became seriously ill under the immense physical and mental stress. In her own words 'I was exercising because the physical pain relieved the emotional pain.' Eventually she saw what she was doing to her Body and knew she had to stop, but her story serves as a valuable lesson to us all. When we use working out as a means of controlling fear and/or pain, our activity becomes a detrimental habit, and one that the Body cannot sustain.
People prone to perfectionism, extremism and addiction in general must be especially careful as it is very easy to abuse exercise. Under certain circumstances, a healthy fitness regimen can become quite dangerous. When this happens, it is counterproductive to all of exercise's benefit as it increase stress levels both physically and mentally, harming Body and Mind. For that reason, I feel the need to express the need for balance as a critical component of all healthy exercise schedules. This balance between healthy and unhealthy exercise ironically lies, not in the actual workout routine, but rather the motives behind the desire to workout.
To convey the dysfunctional thoughts which transform healthy activity to unhealthy activity, I will relate my own tragic tale. I began Hip Hop Abs sincerely, wanting to become healthy, fit and, yikes, I'll even own that I wanted to look hot in order to rope-in a boyfriend for the first time in my life. Still, on the whole I wanted to change for my own benefit, which is the correct motive; but that motive changed from good to bad to worse throughout phases of my weight loss. My reduction progressed almost effortlessly until I plateaued at 165 lbs. In fact, other than changing my food intake to account for my ever-decreasing body weight and switching from Hip Hop Abs to Turbo Jam + Bartending, I didn't alter my workouts at all. Suddenly I was stuck, and very scared that I wouldn't reach my goal weight of 130 lbs. It didn't take my biological Mind long to figure out that if I worked out more, I'd proportionately lose more weight. With that intention my workouts turned from fun and goofy to intense, as I felt a compulsive need to reach my goal. Admittedly, I've always been a goal-oriented extremists with an all-or-nothing attitude. Though it served me well in my academic endeavors, this personality trait was now throwing me off balance and leading me down a path towards exercise addiction. Continuing under the guise of healthy motives, I began exercising multiple times a day, multiple hours at a time. As a result my weight dropped to 145 lbs, but again I leveled out. At my worst I was exercising in excess of 3 hours a day and lying about my workout schedule to evade concerns expressed by friends and family. I had done this for over 2 months but my weight never budged from 145 lbs; I had subsequently lost my menstrual cycle, suffered from frequent hypoglycemic attacks, my anxiety and panic was off the charts, and my scalp was easily visible through my thin, brittle hair. Here's the magnificently humiliating fact: I HAVE A MASTERS IN BIOLOGY. I knew full-well that a starved body will not, and cannot, lose weight. Indeed, gain weight becomes more probable as the Body stores every ounce of food consumed, as well as slowing the metabolism to an absolute crawl to protect reserves. Anyway, a random bought of Vegas-fever cured this horrible habit long enough to drop me down to 130 lbs, but I had already solidified my addiction.
After I was down to my goal weight thoughts regarding my exercise schedule shifted yet again, this time I had to somehow learn to maintain my new and mysterious Body. How exactly does one learn to maintain a weight when dieting has been their life for almost 2 years; is there an un-diet? I had no idea how much to eat or how much to workout, and I was positively terrified of regaining weight. In an attempt to figure how to control this magic number, I joined a clinical trial that told me exactly how many calories I burned during my day-to-day activities so that I could balance my exercise regimen with my food consumption and manage my weight. Great, right? Wrong. The data reported told me what I had suspected all my life, I have a naturally snail-paced metabolism. Compared to someone of the same height and weight, I burn around 300-400 calories less in a typical day. It was official: God hates me. I could now continue my wicked ways carrying a signature victim flag, a component of the Slow Metabolism Club's welcome packet. My workouts were now necessary to combat my dreadfully slow metabolism, a burden imposed upon me by genetics. Exercise ceased to be enjoyable, I even began resenting workouts. They were now an obligation, and I truly believed that if I missed so much as one session I was doomed to instantly balloon out to 250 lbs. This is the direct danger of being an extremist; I was either going to be obese or emaciated, nothing in between was tolerable despite my Body giving me very clear signs that it was happiest at 145 lbs, past which it refused to grow hair or menstruate.
 |
| I've always loved Karaoke! Left: May 2007, Right: January 2009 |
This abuse of exercise does not just originate from obsessions with weight however, which is evident from my friend's story of how exercise became her only defense against uncontrollable Depression. Working out over 4 hours a day provided her the only comfort she'd experienced since the onset of the debilitating depression. Having gone through recent relationship turmoil, she turned to exercise to extract her feelings of pain and loss. She also wasn't eating or sleeping, and her Body quickly became seriously ill under the immense physical and mental stress. In her own words 'I was exercising because the physical pain relieved the emotional pain.' Eventually she saw what she was doing to her Body and knew she had to stop, but her story serves as a valuable lesson to us all. When we use working out as a means of controlling fear and/or pain, our activity becomes a detrimental habit, and one that the Body cannot sustain.
On one a final note, let's not forget that Anandamide is our Body's natural THC molecule, which is quite literally a drug and drugs are addictive. Given the opportunity to flee the chaos inside our Minds, the Mind/Body will take it and become dependent on it for solace. Missing a workout should not dictate one's mood, that is a sure sign of imbalance and faulty motives. Just ensure the purposes for exercising are balanced according to Part II, allow for flexibility and always consider the needs of the Mind, Body and Soul.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you made it! Your prize is a new motivation to get your ass in gear. To help you get started here are a few bonus tips:
Choosing the Proper Equipment
My Mind, Body and Soul react differently to different types of exercise equipment and activities. Personally, I relax and mindlessly blast away stress while watching the news or movies on the Stairmaster, or an Elliptical. When I want to connect with my intuition I run on the Treadmill either with or without Hip Hop music, or row while envisioning myself rowing along a beautiful lake. My Soul sings the loudest while running however, and each time it floods my Mind and Body with inspiration of all varieties. Currently I'm really enjoying 'We Run the Night' by Havana Brown [see video above], and now I'm the one doing inane fist-pumps on the treadmill at 5:30am. To reconnect my Mind, Body and Soul, Yoga is the simple and graceful solution. Additionally, I strongly endorse varying workouts from day to day as its important for activation of different muscle groups, as well as avoiding muscle fatigue and general boredom. Furthermore, if you're not the Cardio machine type, many people find their unique exercise benefits realized best through group Cardio or Lifting workouts, or by playing sports. It doesn't matter what you do, or when you do it, just commit that time to yourself and enjoy it!
10-Minute Minimum
Regardless of the type of activity you choose, once you begin to exercise stay with it for at least 10 minutes. Though it certainly fluctuates form person to person, this is the approximate amount of time required for the Body to warm up and get moving, the Mind to release its most distracting thoughts thus creating space for intuition and clarity, and the Soul to warm up its vocal cords and connect with the collective energy of its environment. So, even if you feel horrible, depressed, tired, etc., stick it our for at least 10 minutes. You'll find typically find that those feelings ebb, but if they don't you may need a rest day; listen to and respect the Body.
I sincerely hope that I've shown you all the benefits that exercise has to offer in leading a healthy, happy and balanced life. Regardless of excuses, or what you may think and feel about your Body, these benefits can and will be yours if you put forth honest effort. Exercise, because you're worth it.
Congratulations, you made it! Your prize is a new motivation to get your ass in gear. To help you get started here are a few bonus tips:
Choosing the Proper Equipment
My Mind, Body and Soul react differently to different types of exercise equipment and activities. Personally, I relax and mindlessly blast away stress while watching the news or movies on the Stairmaster, or an Elliptical. When I want to connect with my intuition I run on the Treadmill either with or without Hip Hop music, or row while envisioning myself rowing along a beautiful lake. My Soul sings the loudest while running however, and each time it floods my Mind and Body with inspiration of all varieties. Currently I'm really enjoying 'We Run the Night' by Havana Brown [see video above], and now I'm the one doing inane fist-pumps on the treadmill at 5:30am. To reconnect my Mind, Body and Soul, Yoga is the simple and graceful solution. Additionally, I strongly endorse varying workouts from day to day as its important for activation of different muscle groups, as well as avoiding muscle fatigue and general boredom. Furthermore, if you're not the Cardio machine type, many people find their unique exercise benefits realized best through group Cardio or Lifting workouts, or by playing sports. It doesn't matter what you do, or when you do it, just commit that time to yourself and enjoy it!
10-Minute Minimum
Regardless of the type of activity you choose, once you begin to exercise stay with it for at least 10 minutes. Though it certainly fluctuates form person to person, this is the approximate amount of time required for the Body to warm up and get moving, the Mind to release its most distracting thoughts thus creating space for intuition and clarity, and the Soul to warm up its vocal cords and connect with the collective energy of its environment. So, even if you feel horrible, depressed, tired, etc., stick it our for at least 10 minutes. You'll find typically find that those feelings ebb, but if they don't you may need a rest day; listen to and respect the Body.
I sincerely hope that I've shown you all the benefits that exercise has to offer in leading a healthy, happy and balanced life. Regardless of excuses, or what you may think and feel about your Body, these benefits can and will be yours if you put forth honest effort. Exercise, because you're worth it.
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