Listening to Your Body
You’ve been learning all about the different types of exercise that can impact your liver health. While physical activity is clearly important to your health overall, it is equally important to listen to how your body feels during any type of exercise or movement.
Imagine you're walking on a beautiful path surrounded by trees when all of a sudden you feel a sharp pain in your ankle. You stop, look at your ankle, and rub it before continuing on the walk. As you resume walking, your ankle continues to hurt. This sensation is your body signaling that walking may not be the right type of movement for you right now.
Sometimes the signals might not be so obvious, which is why it’s important to consciously tune in, particularly when trying a new movement or a movement you haven’t done in a long time.
When performing a movement ask yourself:
- How does this movement make me feel?
- What signals, if any, is my body trying to give me?
- What does my body need?
- What does this movement bring to my life?
If a movement makes you feel empowered, strong, or joyful, those are great indicators you may have found a movement that works well for your body. If a movement makes you feel extremely tired, in pain, or bored, that type of movement may not be your best choice. If it still feels challenging to tune into your body’s signals, consider one of these tools:
- Mindfulness: These are activities that help you stay in the present moment, such as yoga, meditation, body scanning, or a nature walk.
- Journaling: Take notes on how you feel before, during, and after a specific movement to give yourself the time and space to process your body’s signals.
- Experimentation: Explore different types of movement to find ones that may bring you joy and feel right for your body, such as hiking, Tai Chi, running, or strength training.
Remember, you know your body best. Listening to your body and its signals will allow you to find the best types of movement to support your liver and overall health.