Movement is such a powerful thing and can be implemented in your daily routine to enhance your life in many ways. Movement doesn’t always mean pushing your body to its limits, nor does it mean you have to do a HIIT class seven days a week. You can still reap the benefits by doing the things you love and making movement a part of them. There are so many benefits from moving your body daily and we would love to challenge you to make movement a part of your daily routine.

Here are just a few of the positive effects of moving your body daily.

Improves your mood. 

If you are in need of a little boost or just would love to improve your overall state of being, exercise and movement is such a great natural method in doing so. Research has found that when you move your body, endorphins are released. These are the chemicals that are naturally produced by our bodies, it is found that they not only relieve us from pain, but also boost our mood. Studies show that alongside these happy feelings, endorphins also bring a range of other benefits to our bodies such as a reduction of stress, depression and anxiety and may also support a healthy immune system and cognitive function. 

Helps to create a healthy body overall. 

Exercise and movement in general can have such a huge positive effect on our overall body. By moving our body we are strengthening our muscles and bones which has a great impact on our balance, coordination and endurance. Alongside this, studies have shown that exercise also has a great benefit on our cardiovascular system by reducing some major risk factors such as high blood pressure and obesity which are very relevant in today’s world.

A great way to clear your mind and live in the present moment 

The pace of the world is very fast and as a collective, we are all living in such busy lives. It can sometimes be hard to live in the present moment and switch off from our thoughts. Exercising can be a great way to meditate and clear the mind, immerse yourself in nature and notice what’s around you. Alternatively, join a sport or try a new session where you really have to concentrate. In doing this you will need to focus a lot on what you’re actually doing which will force you to tap into the now and allow you to live in the present moment for that set period of time. You will reap the benefits and will come out of it feeling a lot clearer.

Here are our top five tips for living an active lifestyle.

Block in your ‘movement’ time!

This will look different for everyone and there is no right or wrong with this. Really think about your own personal lifestyle and goals and how movement can fit it with how you are currently living. You could set some goals around how many times you want to move your body, or another idea is writing a little list of movement activities you’d like to do each month and completing them when it feels good. 

Have fun with it!

Focus on the things you LOVE to do! There’s nothing worse than dragging yourself through a gym session that you really don’t feel like doing. Tune into your heart and listen to your body. Ask yourself what you feel like doing and also remember to factor in how much energy you have, where in your cycle you are and what else is going on in your life. If you are feeling energetic, try something new like boxing, zumba or a hiit class. If you are feeling the need to rest more, try yoga or go for a slow nature walk. Remember, the journey is more important than the destination so just focus on having fun and the rest will follow. 

Make it convenient and easy! 

Exercise doesn’t have to take lots of time or be extremely hard, you can implement it in small bursts throughout your day. We love taking a ten minute break midday to stretch and ground ourselves. A few other ways we love to simply move our bodies easily is by walking to work, taking the stairs and even having mini dance parties when we need a change in mood! Have fun with it and just enjoy it. 

Book an active date with a friend! 

Book an active date with a friend or family member and catch up over coffee and a beach walk. You can get creative with this one, some other things we love to do with our friends and family are adventure hikes, bike rides, ocean swims, yoga or pilates classes and even surfing or paddleboarding!

Have an accountability buddy!

Find a friend that is also keen to get moving and keep each other accountable. You will not only inspire and motivate each other, but it’s always nice to have someone to do things with especially on the days where you don’t really feel like it. Set some goals, share them with each other and be each other's cheerleaders. You’ve got this!