There are always a few nudges and tweaks you can do when it comes to your health and wellbeing aren’t there - especially, for many of us, when it comes to exercise!
I’m not talking dramatic changes just the odd nudge now and again can be beneficial, as I found out recently…
We count ourselves as being incredibly lucky living in the Scottish Borders, one of the most beautiful places in the country. When I go for a couple of jogs every week…terming it a run would be a stretch of the imagination…I rarely come across anything or anyone with only wildlife to keep me company. I know, how fabulous, that is until I found myself being followed, at a pace, by the local pack of hounds out for their morning stroll!
Gone was the luxury of gently jogging along, mulling over what I had to do that day, enjoying my surroundings with the morning sun breaking through the clouds!
I soon realised if I didn’t get a move on I was going to be amongst said hounds, alongside the Huntsman & whippers-in who, I add, were on bikes, doing an admirable job keeping the pack together.
I realise I don’t have a long fluffy tail nor a pointy nose and although small, am a tad over 50cm in height, so the hounds would probably have no interest in me whatsoever but…they are rather large and there are rather a lot of them! Having dogs of our own I’m not easily fazed by other dogs but on that particular occasion I didn’t fancy an en masse bonding session!
Result being - I realised I was capable of running quite a bit faster than I normally do!
At one point on my usual route I go past the local farm where their sheep dog, Mack, always heralds anyone passing with a warm & welcoming bark. Having past this point I felt I could relax my pace a little, wrongly assuming that the hounds wouldn’t have followed my route…two minutes later Mack could be heard along with the accompaniment of the local ‘hounds operatic society’!
Needless to say I sped up again and to the surprise of my husband returned home in record time.
To this day like Pavlov’s dogs when I hear Mack’s cheery hello it triggers something in my brain and I genuinely speed up…dare I say I actually break into a run!
The obvious message is…whatever you enjoy doing exercise wise, whether its dancing around the kitchen to your favourite tunes, skipping at the back door, or going for a cycle…turn up the volume of your radio, do an extra 5 mins jumping up and down (your pelvic floor will love you too!), go for a slightly longer cycle…or if you’re busy balancing on one leg whilst meditating…breath even deeper…and for longer!
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Any information is as accurate as possible at time of posting and is for information purposes only. The information and support that Let’s Talk Menopause provides is for your own personal use. It is not intended to replace or substitute the judgement of any medical professional you may come in contact with. You should always seek advice from you healthcare professional regarding a medical condition.