With COVID cases rising and further restrictions impending looking after our mental health has never been more important and so we asked Aimee Oliver founder of Bodyfit Mums to guest blog for us this week with some words of encouragement for our Lusso tribe. We're big fans of Aimee at Lusso Tan and have been so inspired watching her build her Bodyfit Mums Empire over the last couple of years. Hope you all enjoy what she has to say this week.
Ever had that ‘feel good factor’ after completing a workout?
Whether it was a gruelling 30 mins HITT session or a simple walk in the rain.. you feel pretty darn good after it right? Maybe not straight after when you're purple in the face and breathing like a steam train! But when you settle yourself, and you’ve stopped the cursing in your head at the person making you carry out such nonsense, you feel SO MUCH BETTER for it!
That feeling is all the positive endorphins that are released around your body after exercise. It clears the head, lifts your mood and gives you the feeling that you can take on the world! I have always said, if you could bottle that feeling up you’d be a millionaire!
“It should feel good… cuz ya look good!!” (Terrible English I know!) This is one of my favourite sayings when busting out another sweaty workout with all of my amazing mums! It works in keeping everyone motivated when they want to stop or pull back..in more ways than one! In the past, exercise has mostly been about the physical affects, but now more and more studies are showing that the mental health benefits are actually more important than the results you see around your waistline.
I’ve had many Doctors and Healthcare professionals on the Bodyfit Mums fitness programmes, and after they’ve completed their journey with me they’ve all expressed how the ‘prescription of exercise’ will be something they will actively suggest after understanding how it’s helped them!
However, you don’t need to be a doctor or a scientist to understand the endless positive effects exercise has on our mental health as well as our physical health.
Exercise can help EVERYONE.
I guess it’s whether you’re willing to make a change and start doing something for YOU! As a mum, it’s so easy to forget about yourself. I’m always trying to get the point across to my clients that if we don’t put the effort in to looking after ourselves first, then we simply won't have the output to put our energies into the things we feel passionate about .
There shouldn’t be that ‘mum guilt’ for spending time or money on ourselves. If it helps us physically and mentally then we should be giving it everything we’ve got! You don’t have to be a mum to put this into context either, it could be other life demands such as work that may be stopping you doing something for you!
If you feel good in the mind, you’re more likely to feel good in the body and in your own skin! Talking of skin… ever tried exercising with tan on? Ever came out with white biceps or white knees? Over the years I think I’ve tried every type of tinted moisturiser (total fails) sun shimmers (just don’t) and self tanning products. I must point out that as a fitness instructor who still teaches group exercise classes on stages with thee BRIGHTEST lights and ‘all eyes on you’, I have always wanted to have a glow!! Don’t you just feel better when you’ve got that glow?! However, there’s always the issue of SWEAT.
Now, me being thee SWEATIEST trainer known to man I can hereby confirm that I test all products to their absolute max. I also sweat every single day so not only do they get tested on their look and STRENGTH but also their durability and ENDURANCE too! (See what I did there!) Lussotan is the first product I’ve tried that not only, does NOT smell like popcorn or biscuits but it also does not run off me when I’m sweating out the river Nile! I wear it every day now and I love confidently recommending all their products when I’m asked daily about my tan! My ‘Bodyfit Mums Army’ are becoming a very tanned and even more glowing badass army now!
Having worked in the fitness industry for over 14 years now, I’ve worked with men, women, mums, big groups, small groups and 1/2/1’s. One of the biggest hurdles to jump over when it comes to introducing exercise into your life is knowing how to start. If I could give you one bit of advice it would be to do something that you enjoy. Start slow and gradually build from there.
Not sure where to start?
Then another bit of advice would be to join a group or become part of a community of people that are there for similar reasons, who are all in the same boat as you. This may be a gym, a walking/running club or a specific programme like Bodyfit Mums. I always say “the hardest part is definitely starting” but once you start and you get that ‘feel good factor’, once you see and feel the positive connection between exercise and your mental health, you won’t look back!
Anyhoo… I hope I've inspired you on the importance of self care. Im off to wave bye bye to these pasty legs and release some endorphins!
Aimee x
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