3 Essential Oils to Add to Your Fitness Routine
Essential oils have been used in medicine practices for centuries and have been said to have multiple uses when it comes to the healing process within the body. For us, we typically just think of them as something that smells pretty good. But these powerful plant extracts can aid in our journey to become more fit and help us to stay in shape. Many essential oils can now be found at your local supermarket. They are also easily made at home with a few ingredients if you would like a new DIY project to try. Creating your own essential oils and aromas can be a fun project and are a great holiday gift for friends, co-workers, and family. Please remember these oils can be very potent when not diluted so make sure you follow all directions on labels or consult a physician before placing directly on your skin. Some of the benefits of using essential oils call for it to be massaged into sore areas, but in some cases where it is not used correctly can cause a skin irritation.
The main essential oils to be on the lookout for are:
- Peppermint
- Tea Tree Oil
- Lavender
Peppermint is a wonderful essential oil that can help curb our appetite when used properly. While it is a strong smell and maybe not for everyone, smelling a small amount of peppermint oil throughout the day and before meals can help the body feel fuller, thus helping us from overeating. This can be extremely beneficial at the beginning of a lifestyle change. Most who have started 21 Day Fix feel the amount of food consumed is still close to what they were eating before just in smaller portions and more frequently throughout the day. Smelling peppermint before your meal will help in the adjustment and allow your body to get acquainted to a new eating routine.
Beachbody workouts can be tough! They are constructed to be easily repeated and help get you into a routine of doing them on a daily basis. Compared to most exercise routines with free weights and hard joint pounding when running on pavement, Beachbody programs are easier on the body. That doesn’t mean muscles will not be sore and tired after your workout. Tea tree oils are used to relieve aches and pains in muscles post workout. Remember as stated before, it is smart to make sure you have no allergies and to follow all directions before starting to add this into your daily routine. Tea tree oil can be massaged into painful sore spots such as feet, knees, shoulders, and hands. Your pains may not even be from your exercise routine. Maybe you have arthritis in your hands from work that is preventing you from even starting an exercise program. Tea tree could help get you on the right track.
We have all been told many times that sleep is one of the biggest ingredients in the process of leading a healthier lifestyle. Well I am here to tell you again! With the daily regimen of working a job, stresses and responsibilities of everyday life, and starting/sticking with an exercise routine….the body needs to shut down and refuel properly. Lavender oils can be calming helping us fall asleep faster and remain in a deep sleep longer. Low energy levels are one of the largest components of someone getting off track and skipping a day in their fitness routine. After a poor night of sleep and then a long day of work, it is easy to come up with excuses as to why you are too tired to work out. By ensuring that your body is properly recharged, you wake up feeling refreshed and energized allowing yourself to do all the things you need to accomplish. And that includes exercise!
