Life is what we make it, if we continue to accept a life of struggle then nothing changes. If we choose to take control of the struggle, wrestle and tussle until we’re on top then the time we have left will remain on our side. When you run the day, your time, you can care for yourself like one was created to do.
Hello, my name is Hanif Tagoe and I’m a Personal Trainer and Nutritional Advisor, owner of Be The Criterion and CriterionClothing.com where you’ll find training merch and downloadable training programmes to mix it up and ensure you keep progressing on your fitness journey. In this post we will briefly look at self care in relation to the gym and ways you can ensure you are giving yourself your due right to care and concern for health to live optimally.
There’s an ayat (verse) of the Qur’an I’d like you to check out, Chapter 95, verse 4. Tafsir (explanation of the Qur’an) of Surah A-Tin by Imam As-Sa’di says with regards to the saying of Allah (glorified be he) Verily, We created man in the best stature. The Imam As-Sa’di says with regards to this verse that we were created in the best of mold and physical form without the need of any more perfecting inwardly or outwardly. And even with this, mankind forgets the Bestower of the blessings we have, focusing on insignificant things in the grand scheme of things. For when we forget our Bestower of Grace then we surely forget our own selves which is also a notable saying of Allah (the gracious and most merciful) found in the Qur’an.
So, we’ve been created perfectly but lose sight of our purpose and thus ourselves. What does one do about this? There are a number of things one can do to build up the resilience and strength of self which are from the ultimate goals of self care, such as working out in the gym. The gym is a place of physical health and wellbeing and with that comes better mental wellbeing due to the relentless training you’ll do, releasing brain chemicals into your bloodstream that elicit positive feelings such as Endorphins and Dopamine. Gym training strengthens your muscles, improves your cardiovascular endurance and has an impact upon your outward appearance gaining you compliments due to your efforts and dedication.
Building friendships in the gym comes with the relentless dedication, turning up for yourself to improve and be fitter. Lifelong friendships are made and marriages too which would be another reason to stay committed to training and stay in shape.
Journaling and recording gym progress helps to get thoughts out of your head and reflect upon personal growth. The time in reflection is time well spent, asking yourself what’s working well and not so much, what you’re grateful for and what you want to achieve inside and out of the gym and noting your lifts, personal records and progression are all positive points in your life journey to document and look back on.
Self care can be as simple as walking regularly. By walking you are changing the environment, giving yourself time to unwind from the stress of the day and taking in the scenery with time for contemplation and reflection. New ideas may come to you all the while you are being active and moving your body to be more stress free.
Did you know…
The NHS recommends the general populous of the UK to get 150 active minutes of physical exercise in the form of walking each week? Thats like 20-odd minutes of walking per day, will you do it?
Prayer and contemplation, some would add meditation are helpful and you can do them in the gym after your post workout stretching. Taking 5-minutes or so to reflect upon the blessings our God and Creator has bestowed upon us is powerful and shows gratitude.
After all of your training there’s no better self care than to have a good rest and recovery schedule and environment that allows you to get the rest you need. Training puts your body under a lot of stress and so to grow back stronger, and to be able to train the next day whilst avoiding overtraining one needs a dark room to sleep in, free of electronic equipment as much as possible, calming sounds will help relax as would drinks like Valerian Tea.
Above were just some ideas you can add to your self care routine related to your fitness lifestyle. When you look after yourself and your connection with God, rest and relax when needed you’ll be in a better state of mind to handle any challenge be it in the gym or out in the world. Stay well, safe and take care of your self care.
Are you looking for a Personal Trainer in the Wandsworth, Putney, Wimbledon area? I can help you in your training goals with programmes that work, knowledge with foundations and the passion to keep you motivated to succeed. If you’re ready fill-in the form at the bottom of this page and we will be in-touch.
Further information on Self Care:
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