Month: May 2020

I’ve been running virtual power ballad workouts for the last 5 weeks and have put together some videos on my website. I’ve had really positive reception so far from all of the amazing people who have joined my class. It’s a fun, uplifting and therapeutic way to move with other people; a great workout; good for toning and if you do it often enough it’d be great for weight loss too!

I decided to put this class together because it combines 3 of my favourite things: exercise, power ballads and connecting with other people. 

What are power ballads?

I would define a power ballad is defined as an emotional rock song, often with powerful and dramatic vocals. Power ballads often start slowly and build up into a powerful release which is why I think they can make some of us feel so good.

Some of my favourite classic songs are What’s love got to do with it by Tina Turner, Alone by Heart, I have nothing by Whitney Houston, Holding out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler. The list goes on. These might not be the most musically talented of songs, and of course won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but for lots of us they make us feel great and we need something uplifting in our lives more than ever right now.

Ultimate Power

It is genuinely a night of feel good therapy and can easily transform your mood for an entire weekend. Sadly, being in a packed night club dancing shoulder to shoulder with strangers seems like a million miles away now so I decided now was the time to bring it home.

I decided ages ago I wanted to design an exercise class to power ballads, but I didn’t seem to ever get the space to plan or implement it. All I seem to have needed to make it happen was a global pandemic. 

My power ballad classes

I love planning, designing and leading these classes. There’s nothing more uplifting than moving in synchrony with people who are all having the time of their lives. It’s even more poignant on Zoom when I can see all of the tiny thumbnails on my screen moving and smiling and singing along (they are on mute but I can see the lips moving!).

Everyone who does my class say it’s a great full body workout and they don’t even feel like they are exercising as they are having so much fun. As one of my regulars said: “Absolutely loved the Power Ballad workout with Louisa! Great for all over toning and brilliant 80s tracks so enjoyed a bit of a singalong session too”. 

The class appeals to all ages – I’ve had kids and people well into their 70s join. I try to make sure it is as inclusive as possible and so don’t require any equipment other than a couple of cans out of the kitchen cupboard. 

A friend of mine runs similar classes with more of a focus on dance called Kitchen Dancing. This is an awesome dance class to 80s and 90s music. I’ve been doing this every week since lockdown began and I laugh all the way through! 

The science

There’s lots of cool neuroscience behind why moving together to music is so uplifting. As Kelly McGonigal talks about in her brilliant book The Joy of Movement (and one of my recent blog posts covered the topic here).

Collective joy is a “euphoric self-transcendence individuals feel when they move together”. Moving together in a group creates a sense of unity. Our brains receive feedback from our muscles, joints and inner ear internally and we simultaneously see others moving which the brain merges into a unified perception. Group trust is developed and we become invested in the wellbeing of the people we move with which creates feelings of compassion and good will. 

Music, movement and unity produces powerful hits of adrenaline, dopamine and endorphins in the brain all of which energise and make us feel great. McGonigal says “when a piece of music that sounds happy makes us feel happy, so much so that we must move in ways that express happiness”. This creates “a positive feedback loop that accelerates and amplifies the joyous feelings induced by the song”. 

All of this fits with my coaching philosophy that everyone can feel their bes selves through exercise and thrive in life as a result.

Want to join?

So what are you waiting for? Come and join me to rock and squat your heart out and get the feel good vibes you have been craving. 

Where: Zoom

When: Thursdays 7pm 

What do you need: two cans of veg – beans, chopped tomatoes, chickpeas or whatever you have to hand. A floor space with a mat if you prefer. A big dose of enthusiasm and a love for 80s power ballads. 

Cost: whilst we are in lockdown my classes are free but I have a PayPal site for people to contribute to the cost of running the class if they wish: paypal.me/BeMotivatedLTD

How: Contact me louisa@bemotivatedcoaching.com or sign up to receive alerts at my website and get a free 20 minute coaching session too!

Mental health awareness week

It’s mental health awareness week and there’s never been such an apt time to focus on how we are feeling and our emotional health. We are into week 9 of lockdown in the UK now. There are many things to feel hopeful for whilst balancing the natural feelings of anxiety and worry I am sure we are all experiencing. 

Exercise makes us feel great

I was thinking about exercise and movement has such a crucial role to play for people at the moment. Movement in any shape or form is a natural mood enhancer, lifting our spirits and making us feel good in the moment and for hours after. Some of the many positives include increases in feelings of happiness, boosted self-esteem, increased productivity, more creativity, higher energy levels, improved efficiency, tolerance and improved self-perception.

Regular physical activity also makes us less prone to illness by strengthening our immune systems, assists us in having healthy sleep patterns, reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression as well as decreasing stress and irritability. See my recent post on the Joy of Movement for more on how exercise makes us feel good.

Top 5 tips to find motivation to exercise

Sometimes it’s really hard to muster the motivation to exercise when we feel really low and depressed (I have been there myself). It’s the last thing we want to do even though it is one of the things which will make us feel better, and I promise it will. Here are my top 5 tips for getting some movement into your life if you are struggling with your mental health at the moment:

1. Any form of movement works! You don’t have to sweat profusely or get your heart rate up to max to feel the benefits of movement. It doesn’t have to feel like a chore either. Everytime you move your muscles you will feel the benefits. Do something you love like putting on your favourite songs and dancing round your living room. 
2. Fit more activity into your day. Can you embrace any opportunity to move in your own home throughout the day? Go up and down the stairs 2 more times than usual. Do a couple of squats each time you boil your kettle. Get out in the garden, if you are lucky enough to have outdoor space, and do some digging. 
3. Try not to expect too much of yourself. Give yourself the time and the space to do what feels right. Take small steps and set realistic goals. You might not be able to do a whole 5k run but could you go out for a 10 minute walk instead? You were fully intending on doing a high intensity workout on Zoom but you couldn’t muster the energy but instead a yoga class seems like a good alternative. If you don’t want people looking at you in an online class then turn off your video. It’s perfectly acceptable to do this. It’s all about being kind to yourself at the moment.
4. Get outside as much as possible. Embrace the new rules and get out into green spaces for walks, jogs or runs. If you feel self-conscious remember that everyone else is far too occupied with what they look like than to worry about you. Instead of sitting on the sofa for your phone call to a friend why not talk and walk? Being outside in green space has proven benefits for mental health and is a natural mood lifter. Coupled with exercise it’s a double whammy of feel goodness!
5. Celebrate your achievements. Give yourself a big well done hug for getting out and moving! However, if you don’t manage to do what you set out to do, don’t beat yourself up, be kind to yourself and set a realistic goal for the next day.  

Why now is an apt time for us to move

When I saw Kelly McGonigal’s book The Joy of Movement I knew it would be a key read for me, my philosophy and my business. In the present climate we need movement more than ever as we cope with the unprecedented change the Covid-19 pandemic has forced upon the world. I am so happy that the UK government is emphasising how important physical movement is to our mental health at this time and is allowing us all to partake in one form of exercise outside each day. It’s also so exciting to see the proliferation of virtual exercise classes, programmes and live streams out there.

This feels like a really apt time to explore why exercise is so important not only for our physical health but for our sense of purpose, the way we relate to ourselves and to ensure we stay as healthy as we can in mind right now.     

Exercise so much more than physical

McGonigal shares many of my passions for exercise and movement. She writes that movement is a way “to practice self-care, an opportunity to tackle challenges, and a place to make friends”. Like me, exercise has provided McGonigal with sanctuary from many dark moments in her life. It has pulled her out of situations where she has felt despair, isolation and has fostered a sense of hope. It’s the one constant, reassuring thing which is always there to make me feel better. Swimming, running and yoga are my coping mechanisms. If I have had a hard day I know, however sad, tired, anxious, stressed, angry or frustrated I feel, exercise will shift my mood and I will come out feeling in a completely different place. 

In the midsts of this pandemic, it’s common to wake up and feel the most anxious thoughts. I know getting out for a run will help me process my emotions and help me to acknowledge and recognise my complex feelings. I always get my most creative ideas when I am swimming. It allows me to think through ideas and come up to solutions to problems. After months of procrastination I came up for the name of my business when I was in the water. I’m so sad at the moment that I can’t get out and swim in the lido or my local pool but I am super grateful for still being able to get out to walk, cycle and run. 

People are happier when they move 

McGonigal talks about how people around the world who are active are happier and more satisfied with their lives. They have a stronger sense of purpose and experience more gratitude, love and hope. They feel more connected and less likely to feel depressed or anxious. These benefits are not restricted to one type of person either. Anyone can get these positive aspects into their lives through movement!

This seems so important to focus on right now especially. She talks about how there’s evidence to show that people who have never liked exercise can find an activity they love well into their later years. This fits with my philosophy so perfectly and I am so excited that people are starting to realise this! It’s all about finding the right activity and at the right time. Through this we can reap the rewards of what exercise can bring into our lives. It can save us from mental health challenges, feel liberating, build confidence, create an amazing sense of community, make us feel stronger and braver in body and mind and a whole raft of other positive outcomes. 

The science

Endocannabinoids 

McGonigal delves into the neuroscience behind why physical activity feels so good. She talks about how regular exercise actually changes and rewires your brain to remind you how to recognise joy and hope. It is well known that exercise produces endorphins and adrenaline which make us feel good. An area I didn’t know too much about before reading this book is the brain chemicals endocannabinoids. Neuroscientists call them the “don’t worry, be happy” chemicals. Research shows that exercise, cannabis and social connection all increase the endocannabinoid system in the brain. 

The amygdala and the prefrontal cortex, areas of the brain that regulate the stress response system, are rich in receptors for endocannabinoids. When endocannabinoids molecules lock into these receptors they reduce anxiety and induce a state of contentment. Endocannabinoids also increase dopamine in the brain’s reward system which further fuels feelings of optimism. 

McGonigal writes “endocannabinoids alleviate pain and boost mood… and many of the effects of cannabis are consistent with descriptions of exercised induced highs, including the sudden disappearance of worries or stress, a reduction in pain, the slowing of time and a heightening of the senses”. 

The runner’s high

Interestingly research has shown that running or jogging at an easy pace increases the release of endocannabinoids but walking slowly and working out flat out do not. This suggests that the secret to unlocking the “runner’s high is not the physical action of running itself but its continuous moderate intensity”. Perhaps this explains why some of us get addicted to marathons or other long distance races.

McGonigal talks about sticking with something which raises your heart rate for 20 minutes which will then ensure a high of some sort. Interestingly research has shown that when endocannabinoids are inhibited feelings of anxiety or depression are more likely to increase. The more active we are the more our brains change and the more dense the binding sites in the brain become for endocannabinoids. The brain then starts to crave the feeling of exercise. This is fascinating and explains a lot in terms of why some people, including me, really need the buzz and the feel good factor they get from exercise.   

Myokines

McGonigal discusses how proteins called myokines are released by the muscles into the blood stream every time we move a muscle. There are 35 different types of myokines all producing positive effects on the body from helping muscles grow, regulating blood sugar levels, reducing inflammation, and reducing disease.

Fascinatingly, myokines have been shown to demonstrate positive effects on mental health. They can help to protect brain cells and even generate new neurons. They reduce the impact of anxiety, depression and neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s. It’s not surprising that they are dubbed by scientists as the “hope” molecule. The most exciting thing about this is that you don’t need to move that much for myokines to be released into your bloodstream. Walking, running, jogging, swimming, cycling, hiking and high intensity workouts have been shown to release myokines especially good for mental health. The more you move the more myokines! 

Social exercising and the benefits of nature 

McGonigal  talks about how exercising to music and in a group can be so rewarding and help us feel so great. Providing us with the benefits of movement as well as the feeling of connection and empowerment we get from music. I definitely feel this in the power ballad strength workout sessions I have been running in lockdown. See my videos here. McGonigal also covers how exercising in green spaces is so important and how being in nature reduces feelings of anxiety and depression. 

Indeed as McGonigal says “Making time for physical activity is not self-indulgent. For many it is an act of self-care, even self-preservation”.  

Endurance 

In the final chapter of the book McGonigcal talks about how exercise allows us to endure, to challenge ourselves and push our physical bodies in ways which make us feel strong and resilient. She talks about how exercise has saved so many people from depression, suicide, addictions and destructive behaviours.

This is a must read book if you want to learn about the far reaching benefits of movement. I am excited that this marks a change away from seeing exercise as a chore to lose weight, or look a certain way, to an activity which will truly allow you to feel great in yourself for your entire life and really thrive! 

As McGonigal says: “Move. Any kind, any amount, and any way that makes you happy”.