5 for 5 Self-Care Challenge: Exercise
Hello Wonderful, Creative You:
How was your Self-Care Challenge day 1? I hope you loved seeking out beauty as much as I did.
Today’s challenge is exercise.
Exercise is such a vital part of a good self-care regimen. You might have realized that I love to run and do a lot of outdoor physical activities. For me it’s been important to have variety in my workouts, and company sometimes too. Given how social I am, it’s a big motivator. I think this is true for a lot of people.
Wednesday evenings I normally attend a track workout with my running club. I show up pretty faithfully, because while I am no Speedy Gonzalez, it lets me socialize with my running buddies while also getting some speed work. Last week, however, it was 90 and humid, I had been working long hours, and I was feeling the need to treat myself very kindly.
Instead of going to track, I went to the dance class at my gym. While I wouldn’t skip my precious track workouts every week, the dance class was a JOYOUS experience. I had forgotten how good it can feel to crank the music and move in unison: strutting, jumping, swaying, shimmying, and laughing. It was not the grueling workout I so value at track, but it felt amazing.
[bctt tweet=”Dancing is a JOYOUS experience. When was the last time you shook it? #5for5selfcare #selfcare”]
I realize you can’t go for a run, or even a long walk in 5 minutes, but there’s a lot you can do. In fact, as I researched ideas to offer, I was surprised at the amount of exercise you can do in 5 minutes.
5 Minute Workout Ideas
Low-impact:
Take a short walk, paying attention to what you see, hear, feel, and smell.
Do a 5 minute am yoga sequence.
High-Impact:
Close your office or bedroom door, crank the music and dance it out. This song is one of my favorites for dancing lately.
This squat-pushup roundup sounds hard and fun, as does this circuit training workout from Skinny Ms.
Here’s a 5 minute standing ab workout.
And finally, my favorite online workout resource is Cassie from Blogilates.com. She is hilarious and totally motivating. She has a 3 minute ab exercise.
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Where do you find joy in exercise and movement? Do you exercise faithfully, or struggle to keep it a priority? Tell us about it in the comments.
For official rules and more information, click here.
Cheers!
Amy
Disclaimer:
Please consult your physician before beginning any exercise program. Mindful Art Studio assumes no responsibility for personal injury or property damage sustained by or through the use of these links and suggestions. The information given here is in no way intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice.
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I did 5 minutes of stretching in the middle of the day. It was a busy day, and I had a lot of work on the computer, as well as a bit of a walk to the bank. The stretches really helped loosen up my spine and I felt a lot more relaxed and energised.
HI Rehka:
This sounds so lovely! What a great way to take a break and relax. I’ll take inspiration and do the same when I’m at my office later. Thanks so much for your comment.
Cheers,
Amy
I often exercise on my own, most days of the week, and it’s one of my favorite forms of self care…running, stretching, yoga….today I am doing something different and exercising with someone as a way to change up my self care. It’s also good practice to just enjoy time with another person and work on breaking down the socially cultures habit of constant comparison which is so easy to practice during exercise. Can’t wait to go on my buddy run!
HI Sarah:
Sounds like you are doing a great job at self-care this week after all! So glad to hear you being mindful of escaping the comparison trap too. Have a great run!
Cheers,
Amy
Days I don’t have time/energy to do my real workout (usually yoga or boxing, both at home), I walk with the toddler outside (ok, I do that every day unless it’s bucketing… so is this cheating??). Which usually means lots of running and “yeeps” (adventures). Which was what today was! Mostly saw lots of mud left over from yesterday’s melted snow. Which meant jumping in mud and puddles (which would have left my own mother horrified).
HI Joy:
Wow – jumping in mud puddles, it sounds like you are a pretty awesome mom – every toddler’s dream! You seem like you really embrace the meaning of your name. Thanks for sharing with us.
Amy
I always go for a daily walk. 30 to 60 minutes morning or evening.
I go to the gym to push weights as often as I can and have been a lot better about it lately.
HI Lee:
It sounds like you have a really solid way to take care of your body. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Cheers,
Amy
I spent the night with a friend in town last night and after he went to work I walked around the neighborhood for at least five minutes. No sure how to post the picture I took here. But I saw a beautiful rose that was fully bloomed and a bit sunburnt in places. Part of me thought “how sad” but then I thought how wonderful because part of the rose’s beauty lies deep in the hips of the rose. A beautiful metephor for a woman. We go through our lives and are appreciated for the beauty on the serface when all the time it is the inner strenght that isn’t seen that is our real beauty.
HI Paulette:
You can share your pics on the Creative Self-Care FB group or on social media with #5for5selfcare.
I love the beauty of “imperfect” flowers, and your insights about the power of inner beauty. Thanks for that.
Amy
That metaphor is stunning and so true! I see so many varieties of roses at work, I will keep you in mind when I see them now!
My usual form of exercise is going to yoga class several times a week, which is probably my favorite form of self-care. But my kids absolutely love dance parties, so today we’re jamming out for awhile…and we also love Uptown Funk! 😉
HI Kristin:
Isn’t yoga just the most amazing way to get exercise and relax and focus all at the same time? And dance parties with your kids are pretty amazing too! Thanks for sharing your experience,
Amy
I am pretty religious about my weekly yoga class, especially now throughout my pregnancy. I get really bad tension headaches, and it’s the one thing that consistently relieves and prevents them. That and other types of stretching. It often takes an ache for me to remember to stretch, but that’s the first thing I try before taking any medication. Yoga has been more challenging while pregnant, but it has really helped the backaches and other aches and pains that have come with this.
HI Jenn:
It sounds like you are doing such a great job of staying tuned into what you need generally, and especially in pregnancy. It’s so important to practice those skills now so that when baby arrives you can steal away those moments for you.
I too find that yoga helps with tension and stress.
Namaste!
Amy
Ha. When I read today’s challenge I cringed. But I had a few extra minutes before my hair appointment and had a brief walk in her tree filled neighborhood. It was only in the 80s on the way to 100 degrees today so 5 minutes was a good goal. I really enjoyed it. Thanks for the challenge.
I cringed too but warm ups help! My warm ups are to clean the kitchen and put away laundry lol
HI Barbara:
What a great idea – it sounds like the small amount of time really worked out today. I hope you can let it find you again. 🙂 Lovely.
Thank you,
Amy
Since the heat index gets over 100 degrees and it’s hard to keep the house cool enough the exercise I get done is mainly in the morning for summer. So early this morning I got down to some James Brown for about 15 minutes… When I listen to him I can’t help but dance, and do moves I didn’t even know I had. LOL Thanks for the challenge.
HI Kristina:
I’m psyched to have you here on the blog! I can’t imagine regularly being in over 100 degree heat! And YES on James Brown. (I feel GOOD!) How can you resist the joy when you listen to James? Thanks for sharing it with us,
Amy
Thank you so much for this awesome week of challenges Amy!
Love that you dance to James Brown that made me laugh! A good song to groove to is drive tha funky soul!
Hillary I love the funk! I can’t control myself. It’s really funny. My first song in the morning by him is usually “Get up offa that Thing.” That totally gets me going for my little dance offs with myself.
For my birthday last month I bought myself a fitness hoop and started hooping. I had wanted one for a long time but wouldn’t spend the money on myself. I’m still a total beginner at hooping but I love it even though I am still not very good. 5 minutes of hooping is a great core workout and lifts my spirits throughout the day. I hung my hoop on the wall opposite my desk so it’s always in my line of sight and when I get frustrated with work or need to get up and stretch I can grab it and hoop a little bit before settling back to work.
Love this! I’ve always wanted to hoop there’s such great flow that comes from pros I’ve seen!
I found two hoops in my garage and I brought one inside, I suck at it but I just tell myself… The greats were once beginners! 🙂
What is your hoop like? Mine is just a crapy plastic thing but I figured if I do it more often I’ll get a better one but I know nothing about what a quality hoop is like.
HI Sonya:
Wow, I had not heard of this and had to look it up! What a great self-care gift. Hoola hooping is such fun. I think anything that brings you back to childhood in a good way is awesome.
Enjoy,
Amy
Exercise as self care, you say? Yes please!!! Today I had a solid 6 miler in the heat, followed by a quick abs session and nice stretch. Exercise, running especially, is such a big part of my identity — how I see myself, and how others see me, too, I think (hope) — and I don’t really feel like my best self if I miss a workout. Helps me relieve stress, and feel centered, fit and in control!!
Missy:
My dear friend, of course I see exercise as a vital part of you and why I admire you so. Funny how we can get hooked on exercise, huh?
Thanks for always being a self-care inspiration.
Amy
For today’s challenge, I played tag with my dogs in the yard. They do not play frisbee unless you count staring at the flying thing that just landed at their feet like “you dropped that” but they do love to run. So I ran around the yard with them, changing directions and boffing them when I caught up. It was great fun! Good to be in my silly place with company.
HI Ime:
Your exercise sounds like so much fun! I have one dog who retrieves and one who stubbornly takes the ball and skulks off to chew it. I hear you! It’s amazing how dogs and kids can give us permission to let our silly selves out to play.
Cheers,
Amy
This one is hard for me. I need to start back into a routine of physical activity. Today I started and really slowly. I started with stretching and a few yoga poses. Nothing complicated. Nothing strenuous. For others it might not even be considered movement. But I felt invigorated and freer afterwards. It put me in a mind to meditate so I added 15 minutes of that as well. .
HI Lynda: I think you did such a good job with the challenge today, especially given how hard it is for you. I love that you felt “invigorated and freer.” Thank you so much for sharing that.
Cheers,
Amy
Day two of this wonderful challenge!
Exercise hasn’t always been my friend but I’m learning to change. And embrace the benefits.
I decided to French braid my hair and that’s a small exercise in itself I feel like haha! I sat up straight and sucked in my stomach muscles and raised my arms high (I’m still slow at French braiding so it takes me a bit.)
I then went on a quick 5 min walk with the husband. The air was breezy and filled with the scent of burning wood it was pleasant.
The walk was nice but what I loved most was coming home and seeing our fur baby Nola wait for our return!
Hi Hilary:
It sounds like you did a great job tackling a difficult challenge for you and embracing the benefits. Is your furry baby a cat? dog? rabbit?
Cheers
Amy
That picture of Nola was sooooo cute! Talk about a “Welcome home!” 😀
Day 2 of the challenge, exercise, is definitely a challenge for me! I know I could improve in this self-care area and incorporate more into my daily routine. I’ve been talking about going to the nearby rose garden for the past several days to see everything while it’s in bloom, so today my partner and I walked there. We explored all around while he and I took pictures of the many different colors of roses.
Andrea:
What a lovely reason to go for a walk. You all inspire me with so many ideas!
Cheers,
Amy
Exercise for today included using the stairs at work. The stairwell has a large window, and I took a minute to view the exterior architecture from that angle. Noticed some things I’ve missed before.
HI Julie:
Stairs are such a natural way to get some exercise in – how great that you combined it with being present and seeing what you could notice.
Cheers,
Amy
I took my little one for a bike ride. We noticed the bunnies, the crickets, her favorite part was the clouds she said. We noticed it smelled like a rain forest. The temperature was perfect. So much greenery.
We also had a chance to do breathing together. I started meditating and doing guiding imagery a few months back, so today when I felt I needed some down time I asked her if she wanted to try it. I looked up guided imagery for kids on Youtube. It was a lovely day because of these things:)
HI Amber:
That bike ride sounds so lovely. How great that your toddler did breathing and imagery too. What fun.
Cheers,
Amy
(Oops! Posted this to day 3’s post by mistake. Thank you for pointing that out. 🙂 )
This is so fitting! I’m actually a belly dancer, so turning on some music and shimmying around for five minutes is right up my alley. 🙂
I was always interested in dance, but it wasn’t until I started taking classes a few years ago that I realized how much I loved it. Sometimes it was hard to get started, but I was ALWAYS thankful I did by the end.
I believe that everyone should try dancing around every once in a while. Self expression comes in many different forms, at different times; Dancing is just one option!