By Dafne Greene, Program Manager, Advocate BroMenn Health & Fitness Center
Many people who want to get into shape do not realize there is more to fitness than well-toned muscles. There’s no shortage of exercise regimens that only promote the improvement of the body or the idea of fitness as part of a weight loss plan.
Centuries ago, Western culture lost its focus on the interconnectedness between the body and the mind/spirit, and how each has the power to affect the other. Cultivating a love of movement can help you get beyond the concept of physical fitness as separate from mental fitness — and toward a lifelong program of good health through mind and body fitness.
Whether you choose yoga, pilates, or another form of movement, remember that to feel good, our bodies are designed to move. When you incorporate regular activity in your life, you’re moving closer to overall mind and body fitness. You might consider redefining exercise as any activity that unites your mind and body, which, in turn, reduces your stress level. We know that too much stress can lead to all kinds of health problems, such as increased risk for heart attack and stroke, as well as weight gain and emotional eating.
Developing an exercise plan that fits your lifestyle and your desires is critical. Are you really going to do 30 to 60 minutes on a treadmill?
Are you setting yourself up for failure when you create an unrealistic expectation for yourself? Would it be more enjoyable to do some stretching and a shorter period of time on that treadmill? Surprisingly, long-term weight loss is linked more closely to whether a person sticks to their fitness routine than to what that routine actually is. A routine that is gentle and pleasurable is more likely to lead to the long-term gains you are seeking.
Incorporating meditation or other mind-body techniques can be a tremendous help to your overall well-being. Mindfulness offers tools to explore the human condition in all its variety. You can learn basic mindfulness techniques in any number of ways. There are also programs targeted toward a particular problem, such as depression or addiction, or need, such as leadership or childbirth.
Mindfulness-based initiatives
Jon Kabat-Zinn formed the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program in 1979, and it has steadily grown, to the point where you can find it in any major city — and beyond. There’s also an explosion in related programs for people facing all sorts of challenges.
For example, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, with its strong emphasis on inquiry, is a powerful way for people with depression to explore their mental habits. Mindfulness-based childbirth programs and parenting helps parents-to-be cultivate lifelong practices for mindful living and parenting. Mindfulness-based eating awareness training gives special attention to one’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors toward food. Mindfulness-based relapse prevention is helpful for people who wish to develop a lifestyle that supports their recovery.
Advocate Bromenn Health & Fitness Center offers an array of mindfulness-based programs: mindfulness practices for everyday life that can be especially helpful for dealing with emotional eating and relationships; the Alexander Technique program, which shines a light on inefficient habits and patterns of accumulated tension in our physical, mental, and emotional selves; and a holistic approach to healing with therapeutic yoga that focuses on joint mobility and range of motion.
Improving your mind-body connection will improve your life.
Advocate BroMenn Health & Fitness Center, located at 1111 Trinity Lane in Bloomington, has recently added a number of mind-body programs open to the community. This new medically based fitness facility is open to anyone, seven days a week, with exercise professionals on staff at all times. The Center includes a warm water hydrotherapy pool, lap pool, group classes, and a 1/12-mile track. For more information call 309-433-WELL (9355).