2792: What to Think About During Exercise by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits on Physical Activity and Mindfulness

[00:00:00] This is Optimal Health Daily, What to Think About During Exercise by Leo Babauta of ZenHabits.net and I'm Dr. Neal, your very own personal narrator.

[00:00:10] Hey there, happy Monday and welcome back to another week of Optimal Health Daily.

[00:00:15] This is where I read to you from some of the best health and fitness blogs on the web, kind of like an ongoing audiobook and always with a bit of my commentary at the end.

[00:00:24] Alright and with that, let's get right to the post as we optimize your life.

[00:00:31] What to Think About During Exercise by Leo Babauta of ZenHabits.net

[00:00:38] A reader wrote to me and said he gets bored during running, which makes him want to just stop running.

[00:00:43] And so, he asked for suggestions for what to think about while running or exercising in general.

[00:00:49] Such a great question. If you're bored, why would you want to do it? Why not read fun stuff on the internet instead?

[00:00:56] Well, other than the fantastic health benefits, exercise is a wonderful time to think, to practice mindfulness, to socialize and to escape distraction.

[00:01:07] A little background about my qualifications. When I started running in 2005, I could barely run for five minutes and was mostly sedentary until then.

[00:01:16] I slowly worked my way up to a 5k race, then decided, not quite wisely, to set my sights on a marathon.

[00:01:25] After a year, I ran my first marathon after a couple of half marathons and numerous other races.

[00:01:31] I ran a couple of marathons after that, a bunch of other races including some short triathlons.

[00:01:37] Last year, I ran a 50-mile ultramarathon.

[00:01:40] Through all of that, I've spent countless hours running.

[00:01:44] I've also spent a lot of hours strength training and doing CrossFit-style workouts.

[00:01:48] I spent a lot of time exercising, and I love it.

[00:01:51] I don't train with music. For me, it's distracting and a waste of good thinking time.

[00:01:57] I've listened to audiobooks on longer runs, like those that last three or more hours, but usually work out in silence.

[00:02:04] Except when I'm training with a friend.

[00:02:06] Last year, I did a lot of the longer runs with my friend Scott, and for about a year,

[00:02:11] I've been training in the gym with my friend Tynan.

[00:02:13] When he's in town, he's always traveling.

[00:02:16] I've also worked out a lot with my wife, Eva, and with my sister Kat, when I was in Guam.

[00:02:21] I love working out with a friend.

[00:02:23] It's such a great way to enjoy exercise.

[00:02:25] You have great conversations with someone you enjoy spending time with.

[00:02:29] Build a friendship while building fitness.

[00:02:33] So, if I can ever find a workout partner, that's my first choice.

[00:02:37] But I also love working out and running alone.

[00:02:40] Here's what I think about while exercising.

[00:02:43] 1. Ideas

[00:02:46] My best source of blog post ideas comes from when I run or work out.

[00:02:50] The movement seems to stimulate blood flow to the brain, and getting away from the distractions

[00:02:55] of technology allows me to reflect and think in isolation.

[00:02:59] I often have a bunch of great blog post ideas on a run.

[00:03:03] Pro tip.

[00:03:04] Carry something to record ideas on, whether it's a notebook or smartphone.

[00:03:09] I've lost good ideas because I have nothing to write on.

[00:03:11] I came up with a method for remembering.

[00:03:14] I tie each idea to an image.

[00:03:16] So, when I get home, I have a series of images in my head, like a rubber duck, a pencil, a bell, or an apple.

[00:03:24] Then, I just decipher these images into the ideas I wanted to remember.

[00:03:29] 2. Some problem that's been bothering me

[00:03:33] If something has been spinning around in my head, that's a good sign that I should give it some conscious thought.

[00:03:38] Why is it bothering me so much?

[00:03:41] Usually, it's because I'm holding onto an expectation or an ideal I can't control,

[00:03:46] including how I want people to think of me.

[00:03:49] Then, I practice letting that go.

[00:03:52] 3. Body Mindfulness

[00:03:55] Exercise is a great time to practice mindfulness.

[00:03:58] I like to stay present with my body, when I remember.

[00:04:02] Feeling each body part in turn, like the feet, the lower legs, the upper legs, the buttocks, the lower back, the abdomen, and so on.

[00:04:11] Then, I try to expand my awareness to include all of them at once.

[00:04:16] 4. Mindfulness of thoughts

[00:04:18] Other times, I practice being an observer of my mind.

[00:04:21] It's a fascinating phenomenon, your thoughts.

[00:04:23] Practicing watching my thoughts creates a space between thought and reaction.

[00:04:29] 5. A project I'm working on

[00:04:32] If I've been working hard on a project, I'll give it some headspace during exercise to allow myself to get some perspective on the project,

[00:04:39] see what's important, and work out some difficult problem with it that I've been putting off.

[00:04:45] 6. Problems of people I love

[00:04:48] If my kids, or wife, or close friend are having a problem, I'll give some thought to that, and see if there's a way I can help.

[00:04:55] I'll try to feel empathy, to understand what they might be going through, and to see what would be helpful given their state of mind.

[00:05:04] 7. Reflecting on things I've been learning

[00:05:06] Often, I'm conducting some kind of experiment in my life, and exercise is a great time to think about how that's been going, what problems have come up, and what I've learned so far.

[00:05:17] These reflections often end up as blog posts.

[00:05:20] 8. The nature around me, and the road below me

[00:05:25] I love getting outside and immersing myself in the beauty of nature.

[00:05:29] It's easy to miss it if you're stuck in your head, or listening to music, or an audiobook, or a podcast.

[00:05:35] I love running on trails, or running through a city filled with blooming blossoms, or exploring a new place with a run, or doing a workout in a park.

[00:05:44] I love running in the rain, or when the sun is falling on me like warm liquid, or feeling the chill of the early morning, and thinking I'm a badass.

[00:05:53] 9. The barbell

[00:05:55] Lifting weights is hard, especially if you're doing heavy deadlifts or squats.

[00:06:00] It's easy to get lost in your thoughts when you work out, but that's a good way to injure yourself with weights.

[00:06:05] So I try to be present with the barbell, watching my form, and putting myself completely into lifting this heavy thing against the earth's relentless pull.

[00:06:15] 10. The nature of reality

[00:06:18] This seems lofty and abstract, but sometimes I ponder the ego, and whether it's an illusion.

[00:06:24] Whether we're separate, or all part of one ocean of existence.

[00:06:28] Why we suffer, and whether death is even something to fear.

[00:06:31] That's usually when I trip and sprain an ankle.

[00:06:34] And 11. How lucky I am

[00:06:37] Best of all, I think about the good things I have in my life.

[00:06:41] From family and friends, to dear readers and listeners like all of you.

[00:06:45] From food and shelter, to work I truly love.

[00:06:49] From Tolstoy, Fitzgerald, and Cervantes,

[00:06:51] To a body that allows me to move through a world so incredibly amazing,

[00:06:56] I can't believe how lucky I am to be alive.

[00:07:03] You just listened to the post titled,

[00:07:05] What to think about during exercise, by Leo Babauta, of zenhabits.net.

[00:07:10] And I'll be right back with my commentary.

[00:07:12] Dr. Neil here for my commentary.

[00:07:15] I've tried sitting quietly and just meditating and taking in deep breaths to quiet my mind.

[00:07:20] But I've found that I get restless and irritated.

[00:07:24] I probably need more practice with it, but here's what I've found instead.

[00:07:28] Like today's author, Leo, I find exercise meditative.

[00:07:32] Especially when I'm performing rhythmic movements like running, rowing, or cycling.

[00:07:38] I find myself very present in the moment.

[00:07:41] My mind starts to clear.

[00:07:44] And like Leo, sometimes I come up with a new idea or a solution to a problem.

[00:07:48] But it wasn't always like this.

[00:07:51] If you find you need a distraction, just to stay consistent with your exercise, then do that.

[00:07:56] That's what I needed in the beginning.

[00:07:58] I would need to listen to music or something just to keep me running,

[00:08:02] or on the bike, or on the row machine.

[00:08:05] Eventually though, you might find that it's nice to just let the mind wander.

[00:08:10] Tune out the music and see where it goes.

[00:08:13] All right, that'll do it for the Monday episode.

[00:08:15] Thank you so much for being here every day.

[00:08:17] Thank you for sharing this show with someone.

[00:08:19] I hope you have a great start to your week.

[00:08:21] And I'll be back here tomorrow as usual, where your optimal life awaits.