strong

Your body is a precious structure that keeps you safe, secure, and comfortable in everything you do. If you don’t take time to care for your body by keeping it strong and aligned you are doing yourself a disservice. Whether you’re trying to find a gym that caters for your needs or you are recovering from an injury, it is so important to look after your body. Staying strong and aligned is easily possible, no matter how old or active you are. Here are just some of the ideas you can implement into your everyday life.

Visit a Specialist

If you have been injured or you feel discomfort in a certain area of your body, then you need to see a specialist who can help you. Your first option should be a chiropractor as they will be able to manipulate the bones in your body in order to align everything into a comfortable, relaxing, and more flexibly position. This type of treatment is ideal if you have a constant ache or pain in a certain area of your body. You may need several appointments before the issue is fully resolved, but it will be worth it when your body feels strong and aligned again.

Image from Pexels – CC0 License

Develop Better Habits

If you work at a desk all day, you need to make sure you are sitting correctly. So many people cause long term damage to their backs, shoulders, arms, and spine because of their posture at work. Seek out a comfortable, but supportive chair and make sure your eye line is level with the top of your computer screen. Making these small changes will help to improve your habits and prevent you from gaining long term injuries.

Practice Yoga

Yoga is so effective when it comes to strengthening and elongating your body. Even if you aren’t particularly flexible, you will start to see results if you are consistent with your yoga practice. Join a local beginners class and you are bound to fall in love with it!

Nourish Your Body from the Inside

You can do all of the exercise in the world, but if you aren’t feeding your body the correct sustenance, you won’t be able to support yourself effectively through each day. You can nourish your body with delicious smoothies every single day and feel an instant burst of energy when you drink them. Speak to a professional nutritionist if you don’t know how to improve your daily diet; they will be able to provide you with tailored advice.

As soon as you start making these changes, your body will feel incredibly strong and aligned. Seeking professional help when you’re struggling to see the results will be the best idea you have ever made. Sometimes people carry out their everyday lives without checking in with how they feel within themselves. This is so important, otherwise you aren’t going to find your method of healing. Hopefully these ideas have inspired you to align your body and feel strong again!

Thank you for reading!

As most of you are already aware, I am a health & fitness coach, and I also live with bipolar disorder. A couple weeks ago, I was talking with my psychiatrist, and he said to me,

“Lyndsay, you are always taking care of your clients and inspiring them. You’re taking care of the kids you babysit and the dogs you care for. It’s great, but let me ask you, who inspires you?“

A simple question, but it hit me hard. In that moment, I wanted to break down and cry. I absolutely LOVE what I do as a coach. The progress my clients make, the breakthroughs, helping others to live longer.. it’s absolutely amazing! I am in awe every day of how wonderful my clients and friends are. I love the feeling of being needed. I’m sure there is a specific reason behind that, but like Miss Maudie said in To Kill A Mockingbird, “All anyone wants is to feel needed.” My career brings me satisfaction, happiness, and hope.

But at the same time, I am giving all my energy to my clients, and completely neglecting myself. How can I be a good coach/mentor if I am not taking care of my mind and body? Who can I go to when I am not feeling strong? When I need inspiration, motivation, and help with my nutrition? Yes, I know a good amount about health, nutrition, and fitness, but I don’t know it all.

As much as I don’t want to admit this, I am going to, because honesty is incredibly important. Not only for the people you’re talking to, but also for yourself. I have a sugar addiction. Like a hardcore, legit, anxiety-fueled addiction to sugar. I have dealt with this on and off throughout most of my life, but when I get incredibly stressed, I lose control completely.

I have felt myself slowly spiraling out of control over the past two months. Poor nutrition, poor fitness, poor mental health. It is a vicious cycle. I feel sad/stressed, so I want to eat something that will release dopamine and endorphins, so I eat sugar (it’s comforting). But the comedown from that sugar causes me to feel depressed/anxious/stressed… and the cycle continues.

This photo represents the cycle of addiction. Any addiction. Did you know sugar addiction is similar to heroin addiction? It is very, very real.

This is specifically what happens in your body when you consume sugar. Endless, awful cycle.

You know how they say that people come into your life for a reason, and at the perfect time? It’s amazing! I was searching through blogs and stumbled upon Lifelong Wellness Coaching with Nellie Russell. I originally found her through her blog, Bipolar Out Loud, and saw that she offers mental health coaching. It’s something I’ve never considered, but something I definitely wanted to try. It’s similar to therapy, but I also get a meal plan catered to me and my physical/mental health issues.. plus Nellie has bipolar disorder as well, so she totally gets me. It’s a little different getting life coaching from someone who lives with what you live with, as opposed to someone who only studied it. Totally not discounting what therapists do, but it’s just a different experience.

My first session was tonight, and oh my gosh, I already feel like a new person. I have hope again. I don’t feel stressed (and I’ve been stressed ALL day.. hellooo taxes). It feels so good to allow myself to be the client, and to go into a coaching program with an open mind. I get so caught up in helping other people transform their lives (which again, I LOVE), that I forget to transform my own life. I am excited for what these sessions bring, and I am excited to improve my life. Physical and mental health go hand-in-hand, and it is time for me take full control of them both!

Have you ever dealt with any type of food addiction? If so, how did you get through it?
If you are a coach (or in any profession like it), how do you stay inspired? Who helps you?

Wonderful Ways to Keep Your Body Strong and Aligned

Health Coaches Need Coaching, Too; My Struggle With Sugar Addiction