DO YOU move?

“As winter slowly but surely creeps up on me over the winter months, my motivation to exercise wanes. The cold weather makes me lean more towards introversion rather than extroversion. This isn’t the ideal scenario for me, with my often busy mind, and I have to be a strict boss-lady with myself to ensure that I keep both my body and my mind active.”

So many associations come to mind when I think of movement: the physical act of moving the body, the psychological aspect of moving the mind, moving from one place to another, being moved emotionally, and the flow of energy between people. That we are always move as inhabitants of the planet that orbits the Earth.

There is movement in everything. Science has shown that it is good to move our bodies and minds. Just as the movement of water in a river can cleanse, so movement lighten our thoughts, release tension in the body, get stagnant blood flowing in our vessels – and so on.

As winter slowly but surely creeps up on me over the winter months, my motivation to exercise wanes. The cold weather makes me lean more towards introversion rather than extroversion; even though I love a good dinner party and socialising in general, the desire is less than in summer. My natural energy levels are lower in winter. 

The benefits of exercise are numerous, and my physical and mental well-being improves significantly when I get rosy cheeks, increase my oxygen intake, activate my muscles and achieve clearer thinking through increased blood circulation and muscle activity. Exercise is also skincare from within. Improved blood circulation benefits the skin, as nutrients, minerals and oxygen are transported more effectively through the system.

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The power of power walking

This winter, I’m less keen on signing up for group training sessions and the like – instead I’m power walking . Spending more time indoors in winter makes me feel like I simply HAVE to get out.

Power walks, where you walk so fast that you’re almost running, can seem a bit strange at first. This type of exercise was recommended to me, and to be completely honest, I felt very self-conscious at the start when I was striding along at a brisk pace amongst other people. I felt like I looked like someone in a hurry. So what?

It’s a really good workout, as your core and lower body really have to work to maintain that high speed, and the strengthening of the muscles is quite remarkable. I could easily feel it the day after my first power walk, as my muscles showed signs of having been thoroughly worked – far more so than if I’d just walked at a normal pace. My heart is beating noticeably faster, which indicates a good cardiovascular workout; my body warms up, and my mind feels clearer. It’s a great way to get out and enjoy some fresh air and daylight, and even on days when I don’t manage to do it before sunset, it’s lovely to walk in the dark.

The other evening, I grabbed my jacket, hat and gloves after putting the lasagne in the oven. I set the oven to a slightly lower temperature than usual to give myself a bit more time and walked down to the nearby harbour to breathe in the sea air and see all the beautiful lights along the coastline. I rang a friend and had a good catch-up on her life, and the fresh air in my lungs felt so good. When I got back home and took the lasagne out of the oven, both my mind and body were in a different state to how they’d been less than an hour earlier. I feel a sense of joy inside after a power walk, and that’s what gets me out there the next time I think about it. The body remembers what’s good for us.

If you’re fed up with exercise, change what you do

I also really like Reformer and Pilates, as I appreciate how they gently but effectively tone and strengthen the whole body. I love ‘Living Yolates’ and ‘Dancing Yolates’, and yoga is really good for my mind, so I make sure to take a yoga class regularly. Although I don’t practise it as often as I’d like, facial yoga is also excellent for releasing muscle tension, improving the skin’s glow and generally promoting relaxation.

My top tip: If you’re fed up with working out, change what you’re doing. Come up with something new. 

This summer I bought some rollerblades because I missed the 90s, when I lived in New York, and used to rollerblade everywhere. Gliding along in the sunshine with wheels on my feet made me feel like I was in my twenties again. Whatever works for you is the key to getting it done. 

I hope that my thoughts here might have inspired you to fill your DO YOU “cup” with more exercise, as it makes a world of difference to our mental wellbeing and to our bodies. 

All the best

Mette Skjærbæk, founder of Karmameju

Mette’s skincare routine for exercise 

- Dry brushing gives me the feeling of a little workout for my skin every morning. Both face and body, and I really wouldn’t want to be without it.

- When I go out in winter, I always apply either CALM balm or GLOW face oil to my hands and face just before I head out, to protect my skin from the cold, wind and dryness. 

- Deodorant: One of the most important choices we make in skincare, if you ask me. The armpits play a vital cleansing role in the body’s lymphatic system, and we need to treat them gently when it comes to the ingredients we apply, without suppressing their natural function. Read more in the article “Back to Natural”. I alternate between using BREEZE and SOFT.

- BLAZE tension release is in my bag, my car, in my bathroom and by my bed. I often use it before a workout and always if my muscles are sore after a workout. 

- Exercising outdoors: I always use BB face cream: my sun protection, day cream and light foundation.

- YIN & YANG lip duo. My lips often feel dry in winter, and my eyes tend to water, making my skin a bit sensitive. That’s why there’s always a YIN or YANG in my pocket or bag.

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