How to Feel Your Best

When you feel like you need a change, something to snap you out of your sluggish or unhappy mood, exercise is one of the best solutions to feeling better. As an Olympic Athlete, I’ve grown up with constant exercise, used to pushing my body to extremes in order to reach peak level. I’ve always been energetic and happy, ready to explore new adventures. However, after being injured at age 17 with a navicular bone bruise and taking time off of skating, I had the one thing I never got when I was a kid — time off and total freedom. Starting college as a student rather than elite athlete gave me so many opportunities I took full advantage of, but I saw the significant change in my body and attitude by year two. I had gained weight, felt low energy and less-motivated to go on adventures, and was very subconscious over my appearance and unhappy in how my body felt. That’s when I decided to make a change: dedicate my summer to being as healthy and active as I could — without any super intense workouts or high-impact exercise on my foot.

That summer, I did minimalist things that had a huge impact on my body and spirit. I went on hike’s, walking up and down scenic hills and mountains in the area along with my best friend. I went to sleep earlier: knocking out around 10:30pm, and then waking up at sunrise to go on an early morning hike. That made my body feel SO energetic and good the rest of the day. I took up cycling a few times a week for cardio — soul cycle was super fun for me. I would go to the ocean and walk on trails, and find other cool spots in the Bay Area to walk or hike. I would do 20 - minute ab-workouts in the sun, then jump in my pool. Flexibility stretches on my yoga mat outside during sunset was therapeutic. To put it simply, I was working with movement. When I tell people feeling good is correlated with exercise, most roll their eyes at me because of my Olympian status: normal people apparently don’t have the same desire to work out. But that’s a misconception — I’m not talking about hardcore workouts that leave you sore, tired, and weak. I’m encouraging simple everyday normal things have you spend energy and be active. I found such a change in my energy, motivation, and happiness through that summer. By moving your body, you will find that as your energy flows and you feel good, your body will follow.