I'm headed back to the gym and inviting anyone who wants to come with me :) 🏃🏻♀️
Life got busy, and my workout routine slipped onto the back burner. If you’ve managed to avoid that, I’m impressed. If not, I 100% relate. Either way, today I’m officially getting my tush back into the gym.
We all know the usual perks of exercise like better sleep and more energy, but I recently read an article by MindBodyGreen, Strong Muscles, Strong Mind, that takes it a step further. It describes exercise as a sort of cheat code for the brain.
Movement helps regulate cortisol, our primary stress hormone, while boosting endorphins, those feel-good chemicals that lift our mood. Regular exercise can actually reshape the brain by building new neural pathways. In other words, working out doesn’t just make us feel better, it helps create the ideal conditions for our brains to perform at their best.
Pretty cool, right?
If you’re restarting too, here’s the game plan I’m sticking to, modified from the article:
Mix it up: I’m aiming for 2-3 HIIT workouts and 2-3 strength days. It keeps the body adaptable and the brain building “resilience pathways.”
Anti-Boredom List: Life is too short for workouts you hate. I’ve got a list of a few activities that don’t feel like a chore (like dancing and hiking) to lean on when my energy is low.
Don’t skip rest: Sleep, good food, and downtime are part of the plan. I include these to avoid burnout.
The Buddy System: Everything’s better with a partner-in-crime. It’s a lot harder to hit the snooze button when you know someone is waiting for you to show up.
What’s your go-to workout for busy days?
I find this funny. #positiveAffirmation. 🧑🏻🎨
I tried a different drawing technique for this illustration, and I really like how it turned out. I usually start by outlining everything in black ink, but this time I painted the color first and added the outlines afterward. It’s a subtle shift, but I think it gives the illustration a slightly more realistic feel.
