Podcast Summary
Movement flow for mental well-being: Discover your unique movement flow – an activity that fully engages both body and mind, allowing you to enter a state of focused flow, for managing ADHD symptoms and enhancing mental well-being
Movement plays a crucial role in boosting dopamine levels and enhancing mental well-being for women with ADHD. Instead of focusing on exercise, it's essential to discover your unique "movement flow" – an activity that fully engages both your body and mind, allowing you to enter a state of focused flow. To identify your movement flow, reflect on past activities you've enjoyed and assess whether they fully capture your attention and immerse you in the moment. By prioritizing and embracing your movement flow, you can effectively manage your ADHD symptoms and improve your overall well-being.
Finding the right physical activity for ADHD women: Discovering a physical activity that resonates with ADHD women, provides a challenge, and feels calming can improve overall well-being. Societal expectations should be ignored, and weightlifting is one option due to its dopamine-triggering nature and internal competition. Personalized activities catering to women's unique challenges are essential.
Finding a form of physical activity that resonates with you and allows you to fully engage in the moment can be incredibly beneficial for individuals with ADHD. This activity should provide a challenge, but also feel inviting and calming to the mind. Weightlifting, for instance, has been identified as an activity particularly appealing to the ADHD community due to its dopamine-triggering nature and internal competition. However, it's essential to ignore societal expectations and find what truly feels good for you. As women, it's crucial to remember the unique challenges we face with various cycles, further emphasizing the importance of discovering personalized activities that cater to our individual needs.
Fitness evolves with us: Our bodies change throughout life, requiring us to adapt our fitness routines accordingly. Listen to your body and be open to new experiences.
Our bodies and our fitness journeys evolve with us throughout our lives. From menstruation and puberty to pregnancy, childbirth, perimenopause, and menopause, our bodies are constantly changing. This means that what worked for us in the past may not be the best fit for us now. For example, someone who loved swimming or soccer growing up might find that their body doesn't respond the same way as they get older. Similarly, someone who was drawn to intense workouts like weightlifting might find that they want something more gentle and calming as they age. As a fitness professional, I've seen this firsthand with my clients. Some come to me feeling lost or stuck, unsure of where to begin their movement process again. My own journey reflects this as well. I started with weightlifting because I loved it, but it was also fueled by a need to be strong and stay thin. As I grew and my mindset shifted, I moved on to circus and aerial silks. This new journey has been about learning to express myself and be more vulnerable, which is a challenge for me but matches my current self-growth journey. Ultimately, it's important to listen to our bodies and be open to new experiences as we navigate the different cycles of our lives.
Discovering new physical activities: Find activities that align with current self-growth and physical needs, rather than clinging to past preferences. Consider exploring new options based on what feels good and suits unique circumstances.
It's essential to find physical activities that align with our current self-growth journey and physical needs, rather than clinging to past preferences. Many people, especially those with a competitive sports background, feel pressured to maintain their previous fitness levels and activities. However, as we evolve, our interests and requirements change. Therefore, it's crucial to ask ourselves if we truly need to continue with past activities or explore new ones that resonate with us now. Moreover, individuals with ADHD, like the speaker, may experience inner restlessness and need to move their bodies regularly to release tension and maintain emotional balance. The choice of activities should be based on what feels good and suits our unique circumstances, be it parenthood, menopause, or other life transitions. In summary, embracing the journey of discovering new physical activities that cater to our current self-growth and physical needs is an empowering experience that can lead to improved overall well-being.
Neurological Challenges and Exercise: Individuals with neurological conditions like ADHD face unique challenges in making exercise a consistent part of their routine due to issues with brain rhythm. This struggle can lead to mental health issues and impact various aspects of life, but it's important to recognize these challenges as neurological rather than personal.
While exercise is essential for mental and physical health, some individuals face significant challenges in making it a consistent part of their routine due to neurological conditions like ADHD. For these individuals, walking at a pace that aligns with their brain's natural rhythm can be a significant barrier to exercise. The speaker herself experiences this issue, finding it difficult to walk at a slower pace and often leaving friends behind. This struggle can lead to mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, shame, guilt, anger, and resentment, which can in turn impact various aspects of life, including career and relationships. It's essential to recognize that these challenges are not a reflection of one's character or personality but rather a neurological issue. By understanding this and exploring ways to hack our brains, such as neuroplasticity, we can help individuals overcome these hurdles and make exercise a sustainable part of their daily routine.
Mindset and System for ADHD Exercise Habits: Examining subconscious and conscious beliefs and establishing a fitness system are crucial for creating sustainable exercise habits for individuals with ADHD
Creating consistent exercise habits requires addressing the foundation of your mindset and building a fitness system. The foundation refers to the self-sabotaging beliefs and thoughts that prevent you from sticking with a movement. This involves examining your subconscious and conscious beliefs, which may stem from childhood or past experiences. The fitness system, on the other hand, is the habit or routine you establish to make exercise easy and automatic. By focusing on both the mindset and the system, you can create a sustainable exercise habit that overrides the challenges posed by an ADHD brain. The analogy used here is that of a house: a strong foundation is necessary for the house to stand, and a well-designed house is necessary for comfortable living. Similarly, a strong mindset and effective fitness system are essential for creating and maintaining consistent exercise habits.
Mindset Matters: Addressing limiting mindsets is crucial for building a successful fitness routine. Identify and challenge negative beliefs to put your workouts on autopilot and make them a long-term success.
Building a successful fitness routine involves more than just finding the right decor (i.e., workout equipment or clothing) or following tips and tricks. Instead, it requires a solid foundation, which starts with addressing limiting mindsets. This means identifying and challenging negative beliefs that may be holding you back, such as the idea that you're not good enough or that you need to do more to be successful. By tackling these beliefs, you can begin to build a system that puts your workouts on autopilot, making it easier to stick to your routine. This might involve finding a workout you enjoy and automating the logistics, such as packing your gym bag and setting a regular workout time. By focusing on these foundational elements, you'll be better equipped to make your fitness routine a long-term success.
Consistent Routine for Fitness Success: Establishing a consistent routine builds trust, helps overcome self-sabotaging beliefs, and leads to significant improvements in overall well-being
Establishing a consistent routine can provide structure while allowing flexibility in exercise and fitness habits. This routine not only builds trust in yourself but also helps overcome self-sabotaging beliefs. By making a promise to yourself and keeping it, you can create a strong foundation for continuing your exercise routine and eventually becoming more intuitive with your fitness goals. Consistency is key to building trust and making progress towards your fitness goals. Remember, small steps and a consistent routine can lead to significant improvements in your overall well-being.
Productivity Strategies: Productivity is not just about working harder but also smarter. Set clear goals, prioritize tasks, take regular breaks, and use time blocking to work effectively and increase output.
During our discussion, we explored various topics related to productivity and time management. We talked about the importance of setting clear goals, prioritizing tasks, and minimizing distractions. We also touched upon the concept of time blocking and the benefits of taking regular breaks. One key takeaway is that productivity is not just about working harder but also smarter. It's essential to focus on the most important tasks and eliminate unnecessary distractions to maximize output. Prioritizing tasks based on their importance and deadlines can help manage time effectively. Another important point is the significance of taking regular breaks. Contrary to popular belief, taking short breaks can actually improve focus and productivity. It's essential to avoid burnout and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Lastly, we discussed the concept of time blocking, which involves dedicating specific blocks of time to different tasks. This technique can help manage time more effectively and reduce multitasking, which can lead to errors and decreased productivity. In summary, the key takeaway is that productivity is not just about working long hours but also about working smartly. Setting clear goals, prioritizing tasks, taking regular breaks, and time blocking are effective strategies to manage time and increase productivity.