Resolve to make 2016 a healthy year

FEATURE — The new year is upon us and the resolutions to stay or become healthy and fit are in full swing. Each year people struggle with the ability to maintain this new lifestyle throughout the year. Research shows that only 40 percent of us will follow through with our 2016 resolutions. So why are 60 percent of us failing to meet our goals?

Health related activities, such as going to the gym or yoga, surge 30-50 percent at the first of the year and level out around March. So why do we stop? Is it that our priorities change? Is it that we see some results and stop? Or could it be that we get so excited about the idea of creating positive change in our lives, that we forget to listen to the feedback our bodies are giving us.

Oftentimes we forget to slow down and go about this at a gradual, steady pace. We want to lose weight and develop that dream body over night. We have become a society that wants the quick fix and immediate results.

I have found that in my own attempt to achieve such results, when I take the time to properly stretch, breathe and pay attention to what my body is trying to tell me, my body pays enormous rates of return in my investment.

Example: You wouldn’t drive your car 200,00 miles without any maintenance, would you? Our bodies need preventive and regular maintenance to perform at their optimal levels.

We have the incredible ability as human beings to tune in to areas of pain and discomfort. When we do this our body gives us insights on where we need to be treated and what we may need to do differently. This could be considered our intuition.

On the flip side, we also have the ability to tune out. This is a survival mechanism, our body has the ability to ignore pain for a substantial amount of time. When this happens we get discouraged and we lose track of our goals.

When we regularly focus on diet and fitness and we combine regular massage and bodywork into our routines, the results can be absolutely astounding.

Getting the occasional massage works well for giving yourself a treat from time to time to relieve stress or if you have a minor area of discomfort that can usually be addressed in one treatment. It is important to be aware that scheduling regular massage can be very beneficial to those who have ongoing chronic pain and muscle-related tension and stress.

Scheduling regular massage and bodywork can play a huge role in the potential to how healthy you’ll be and how youthful you’ll remain with each passing year. Remembering to budget time and money for bodywork consistently is truly an investment in your overall health, which includes flexibility, increased range of motion and pain-free movement.

Remember, everything in our body is connected. Massage and bodywork affects all the systems of the body, helping us re-connect and tune into our bodies more affectively.

Make 2016 the best year ever! Make yourself a priority this year. No excuses!

WRITTEN BY: Gage Jarvis, LMT, NCTMB, co-founder of Melted Massage

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