Monday, January 26, 2015

Sweat Pink No Excuses Challenge Week 3 +Benefits Of Meditation



Happy Monday!  If you have been following along with the Sweat Pink No Excuses challenge this month you will know we are in week 3!  If not, that's cool too, you can hop in and join the fun this week.  I love all the challenges set for this week.  Today's was to stop, drop and breathe....take 5 minutes and meditate.  Seems simple enough so after my workout I grabbed my yoga mat and dimmed the lights.  Then I laid out my yoga mat and grabbed my little one and took 5 minutes to calm my mind and sit in still peacefulness.  It really was great to stop and quiet my mind even if it was just for 5 minutes.  In this day and age it is so easy to go, go, go and not really take the time to slow down.  I really enjoyed today's challenge and I think I will add it in daily post-workout.  Do you take the time to meditate?  Make sure to try it out today and post a pic to your fave social media site with the #SweatPink and #NoExcuses.

Here are all the challenges for the week so you can join in and share:
Monday 1/26- Stop drop and breathe...do a 5 minute meditation.
Tuesday 1/27- 90 Second wall sit
Wednesday 1/28- Jumping jacks during your favorite tv show
Thursday- 1/29- Grab a partner and sweat for at least 20 minutes
Friday- 1/30- #FreeFriday- do any activity that you love
Saturday 1/31- Share your favorite healthy eating cooking hack in the kitchen 


In keeping with today's challenge I wanted to share some of the benefits of meditation:
Physiological benefits:
1- It lowers oxygen consumption.
2- It decreases respiratory rate.
3- It increases blood flow and slows the heart rate.
4- Increases exercise tolerance.
5- Leads to a deeper level of physical relaxation.
6- Good for people with high blood pressure.
7- Reduces anxiety attacks by lowering the levels of blood lactate.
8- Decreases muscle tension
9- Helps in chronic diseases like allergies, arthritis etc.
10- Reduces Pre-menstrual Syndrome symptoms.

Psychological benefits:
1- Builds self-confidence.
2- Increases serotonin level, influences mood and behaviour.
3- Resolve phobias & fears
4- Helps control own thoughts
5- Helps with focus & concentration
6- Increase creativity
7- Increased brain wave coherence.
8- Improved learning ability and memory.
9- Increased feelings of vitality and rejuvenation.
10- Increased emotional stability.

Spiritual benefits:
1- Helps keep things in perspective
2- Provides peace of mind, happiness
3- Helps you discover your purpose
4- Increased self-actualization.
5- Increased compassion
6- Growing wisdom
7- Deeper understanding of yourself and others
8- Brings body, mind, spirit in harmony
9- Deeper Level of spiritual relaxation
10- Increased acceptance of oneself
(Source)

I really want to make the time to meditate daily as the benefits are so great.  Do you think this is something you can incorporate into your day?  Let's sit in quiet peace and breathe in all the benefits of mediation and quieting the mind!


Today I am also linking up with Running Rachel and Fitness Cheerleader for #Motivate Me Monday!  It is always beneficial to start your week out with a workout game plan and a great workout!




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