Emotion, Exercise, Eating and Environment – the E’s that, in balance, put our lives at Ease!

© Julia Welstead

Understanding our emotions, why they are there, what they are for and how to manage them, is vitally beneficial to our wellbeing. For instance anger and anxiety can be explained as a natural part of our survival instincts without which we would not have the ability to fight:flee at a moment’s notice. The trick is to manage these emotions so that they don’t impinge on our daily lives, where our anxiety is more likely to be to do with stress at work or an upcoming competition than the possibility of meeting a sabre-toothed tiger!

As humans, we are designed to move – originally in order to find (or chase) food. Now that we don’t need to do that (or needn’t go further than the nearest shop at any rate) we have no obvious incentive to move much. Yet exercise is essential to keep our systems working, our physical selves fit and healthy. However, new research has shown that too much exercise can be as harmful to our systems as too little. Moderation is the key for most people. While this may come as delightful news to some, the sporty folk among you may worry that you are overdoing things. For competitive athletes of any level and in any discipline, ‘appropriate’ is the watchword: is your weekly training regime appropriate to your level, your goals, your age and your other life commitments? In a Fit Mind session we can look at your exercise regime and see how it can be managed for optimal wellbeing and therefore optimal results.

Eating is a fraught subject for many of us, whether we over-eat or under-eat or eat unhealthy foods, or have a specific weakness for something like chocolate. In a Fit Mind session we can look at the emotions which drive your eating habits (be they binge eating, anorexic behaviour, bulimic habits, or just common or garden poor diet) and work out how to manage them.

The environment we live in has a huge impact on how we feel. A toxic environment (be it at work, at home or more broadly in our community) can make us miserable, while a healthy environment can allow us to thrive. Being connected to the environment in terms of nature is also vital to wellbeing. Simply getting outside for a walk, looking at a lovely landscape or enjoying a day at the beach can make us all feel much better. In a Fit Mind session we can discuss your environment and work out ways to improve any difficulties.