Healthy Forever Fitness Motivation

  Exercise and Consistency Finding your way to a regular exercise routine doesn't sound difficult. But the truth is, we are human and we get bored with regular, unremarkable regimes. At the start of any journey there is excitement and unpredictability, so we delve into anything new with gusto and enthusiasm. Our expectations are high and the results are never quite what we wanted.  Understanding that exercise and fitness levels do come to those who persevere. I have had many clients, students and friends that have reaped the benefits from exercise, yet still the motivation and enthusiasm does not remain constant and in some cases, sadly it leaves all together. Unfortunately with this, regret follows and I so often hear the words "I felt so much better when I was exercising, I don't know why I stopped" . I can pretty much guarantee that most of you who are reading this will be nodding your head in agreement. We have all done this and find we need to summon up the energ

  Slow Living In this world of chaos slow living is making a comeback. Slow living is a movement where people are deciding to live a more balanced life. Slow living is about bringing self-care and kindness to yourself and to others back into your daily routine. By slowing things down there is a calm and purpose to life, moments to cherish the world around you and for the people that you share it with. It gives you the time to value all the things in life that you have. Slow living is a stepping stone towards happiness and contentment. It is also a pathway to good health. As we slow down the pace it calms our breathing and reduces tension and stress. Our connections to friends and family grow as we have the time to build healthier relationships and tension-free social gatherings. Make your life simpler and more efficient by doing things at the right speed instead of turning every moment into some sort of race against time. Being busy is not the be-all and end-all of life. Start to pay a

  The Benefits of Stretching There are so many benefits to stretching so if you can add this to your daily 'to do' list, a morning stretch will set you up for the day. An early rise '10 minute' stretch routine can add many positives to each day and the more you put into this practice, the more you will notice the improvements of your daily movement Neglecting to stretch your body can make a big impact on your flexibility and balance. As if these components aren't challenging enough as you get older. After a full nights sleep, a good stretch will aid mobility, flexibility, and general movement. It will also help to increase your levels of concentration throughout your day. Stretching not only activates your muscles but also improves your posture at the same time. This being another element of ageing we need to focus on and improve. Stretching also increases blood flow delivering much needed nutrients to your muscles and causing happier, healthier blood vessels and ve

  Take a Moment - The Gift of Life is in Every Breath If we stop, just for one moment and really look - we can see the delightful pleasures that life brings to us. T hey are always encompassing us every day if we allow ourselves to notice......It is in these moments of deep awareness that we find true happiness. Take a few minutes to stop during your busy day. Inhale and exhale for a few deep breaths and just slow down. Open all your senses, look, listen and just observe. Hone into these sensations and pick up on the things you would otherwise miss. The sounds of nature, of laughter and joy, or simply the feeling of a cool breeze on your skin or the warmth of the sun's rays. These are the joys a few minutes of deep breathing can bring to your day. At the end of your day, take a moment to write down the little things that you noticed and observed when you allowed yourself this short time to 'just breathe' . Do this each day, writing down the positive thoughts and emotions yo

  The Benefits of Positive Thinking Positive thinking? What does this actually mean? As much as we would all love to have a positive attitude to everything in life and see the world through rose tinted glasses, this is not actually the true definition of positive thinking. Positive thinking is a skill that some are lucky to be born with or have a natural aptitude for. Positive thinking means you approach life's troublesome times in a more productive and optimistic way.  Training our mind to be positive will take time as our minds are in constant 'chatter' mode. We have thousands of thoughts that pass through our minds daily. In fact a 2020 study  suggests that we have over 6000 thoughts running through our minds every single day. That's a lot of thoughts! The Benefits of Positive Thinking - How to Practice Positivity Start this process slowly. Trying to change all your thoughts into positive notions from day one will be overwhelming and nigh on impossible. Break down yo

 What is a Home Retreat Think of the days you feel overwhelmed, stressed, over emotional or just not coping well. You feel that escape is your only option. A regular home retreat is a coping mechanism, a place to get away or a place for just you. This is your own space where you can lose yourself, sit with your thoughts and explore your feelings.  The practice of yoga and meditation are self care routines but your home retreat is just a step further. This is the next level of self care to really nurture yourself with love and kindness. This is something we normally put on the back burner for another day. I quite often spare a few hours or a whole day if I can find the time, to dedicate to my home retreat. There is some preparation involved and some thoughts to process to prepare yourself for your retreat. I have some pointers to share with you and a free PDF home retreat schedule to encourage you to make this a regular practice. Home Retreat - Set Your Intention Firstly you will need t

 The Netherlands and Gezelligheid The focus on well-being has increased over the last few years due to events of 2020. Well-being includes our physical and mental health and socialising is a big part of mental wellness. Isolation proved to be the biggest issue when it came to loneliness and the loss of personal interaction with family and friends.  Research has shown that socialising and companionship have a positive effect on mental well-being. It makes us feel happier, reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression as well as reducing our stress levels. I love to research other countries happiness levels and the hobbies or ideas that bring cultural happiness to a nation. The Netherlands are the 5th happiest country in the world according to 'The World Happiness Report 2022' . So why is this? One of the reasons that makes the Dutch a happy nation is that they know how to 'chill'.  In the UK our stress levels are high. We multi-task endlessly and never truly relax. We fill