Olympic Game Inspiration

 Watching the Olympic Games has been such an emotional ride! After Albert and I get the kids asleep (which can sometimes feel like an Olympic sport itself!), I’ll sometimes catch replays on YouTube and relish in the waves of awe, anticipation, and elevation. I’ve cried tears of joy at their wins, winced at their losses, and have enjoyed feeling this tangible sense of our shared humanity. Seeing athletes from every race, ethnicity, language, religion, and gender come together as individuals and teams to perform at the highest level, set new records, and celebrate one another reminds me that we come from one human race.

If you’re like me and have fallen out of your fitness routine, perhaps you’ve also felt a bit intimidated or even envious watching these athletes compete. Doing backflips, throwing the shot-put, or sprinting track like Sha'Carri Richardson may not be in my future, but watching these athletes compete reminds me that we are born to move and have such potential!

Whether you’ve been off your fitness game for months, years, or even decades its never too late to start moving again, make progress, and enjoying the many benefits being active provides along the way. Just like Adam Grant’s recent tweet about Simone Bile’s triumphant comeback, we can’t judge people’s strength when they fall. Our strength is visible when we rise again.

Whether it’s your physical or mental fitness that needs a reboot, our bodies and brains have an outstanding ability to bounce back. And it doesn’t take much movement to reap the benefits! Even a short brisk walk can improve mood, boost mental health, and much more, especially if you combine multiple short bouts throughout the day. And as a self-proclaimed employee engagement nerd, short walking breaks throughout the day can also help combat mental fatigue and improve creativity and problem-solving.

Beyond walking, I am a huge advocate for strength training and this year’s Olympic Games has inspired me to reinvigorate that part of my fitness routine as well. As we age, strength straining is even more essential – helping us maintain muscle mass, improve bone density, boost metabolism, and decrease risk of injury. And as with walking, something is always better than nothing.

With a full-time job and busy family life making it to the gym for my favorite BodyPump class isn’t always feasible, but doing a few kettle bell moves or body weight exercises in the middle of my work day, in the backyard while the kids are playing, or while watching TV once they’re asleep is. Having an accountability buddy doesn’t hurt either. I regularly ask for encouragement and support from Albert since I know regular physical activity makes me a better person and Mom.

So, let’s rise up like Simone. It might not be an Olympic win, but moving more today than you did yesterday is a small win that deserves celebrating. And it will set up the trajectory for more movement in the future. For good health, exercise is not optional; it is essential. Humans have evolved to exercise, and each day is a new opportunity to manifest that part of our shared humanity.
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See you on the trails!