Written by Frances Brown, OHF Alumni & Wellness Coordinator
Prioritize Exercise
As we age, our capacity for regular exercise often diminishes. In our youth, physical activity was seamlessly integrated into our daily routines through school activities, recess, and organized sports. However, with the accumulation of life responsibilities, the time available for exercise decreases, compounded by adult responsibilities, prior injuries, and the effects of aging. The societal trend of prolonged sitting—whether in cars during commutes, at desks, or while stuck in traffic—limits our opportunities for physical activity. Consequently, weekends often become the sole time for workouts or cardiovascular exercises, as weekdays are predominantly sedentary.
Extended periods of sitting can lead to issues like tight hips. Consider how your body feels after a long flight. The rise of constant cell phone usage exacerbates this issue, contributing to rounded shoulders and weakened back muscles. This hunched posture is contrary to the ideal “superhero” spinal alignment, which promotes optimal body function. Thus, movement serves as a counterbalance to our typical daily routines.
Overcoming Barriers
Many of us have the desire to move, yet we often face common obstacles, particularly within the SOF community. Work demands, family life, and travel can pose significant challenges. Reflect on your routine: when can you wake up just 30 minutes earlier? Start your morning by rolling out of bed onto a fitness mat and engaging with a pre-selected YouTube workout. Consider placing cardio equipment next to your bed to incorporate a 20-minute session into your wake-up routine. Are there gyms nearby that offer childcare? Can you find classes for your children that coincide with your workouts? If you admire an online fitness expert, explore whether they provide virtual coaching.
Leverage AI to create a tailored fitness plan. Provide details about your available equipment, days free for exercise, and any current physical limitations. Follow up with specific inquiries: What if I can only workout every other day in the morning? How do I modify after knee surgery? What if I have a young child with no childcare options? How do I incorporate exercise into recuring travel? Use the AI-generated responses to shape and implement your personalized fitness strategy.
Enjoyment in Movement
Ask yourself what activities you genuinely enjoy? Reflect on how you’ve engaged in physical activity in the past and what aspects you found fulfilling. How can you incorporate those enjoyable movements into your weekly routine? Consider what motivates you to look forward to movement: Is it stylish workout gear, a uplifting fitness community, training for a race, the pursuit of a personal record, or an accountability partner?
Do you love creating a beautiful backyard for your home? Engaging in yard work can also count as exercise. Be mindful of your spinal alignment while lifting heavy bags of soil or squatting intentionally as you tend to your garden. Consider reaching out to a friend in person or on the phone and going for a three-mile walk and talk. Plan a family fun run such as one involving bubbles or mud.
Utilizing the Mind
How can we harness our minds to establish new habits? Your brain inherently seeks to affirm your identity as an organized, accomplished, and disciplined person, thereby influencing positive choices. You demonstrate your commitment to being your fittest self through small decisions, like avoiding alcohol and processed foods, and dedicating time to preparing wholesome meals. Actions become affirmations. “I am the type of person who follows through” can mentally shape your self-image, reinforcing your commitment to fitness. Employ the “carrot” method to reinforce good choices; for instance, reward yourself with a high-end dark chocolate after a successful gym session, establishing the association that exercise equals a decadent treat. Promise yourself that you can only listen or read your favorite book or series during cardio. Suddenly your brain is excited to get you to the gym to find out what is next on your literary journey.
Intentional Movement
Engage in movement with a clear purpose. The more deliberate we are, the more likely we are to achieve our goals and enhance our overall happiness. Being intentional in our interactions with loved ones and the time we allocate to improving our lives allows us to slow down and identify ways to achieve our aspirations. We all desire to live vibrant, healthy lives; let movement be a fundamental aspect of that journey through organized and prioritized efforts.
Addressing Limited Mobility
From Pilates and CrossFit to yoga and HIIT training, various forms of exercise can be adjusted according to individual mobility and injury considerations. While it’s easy to make excuses, creating a recovery routine is feasible, even in the face of injury or illness. View limited mobility as an opportunity to develop a thoughtful movement plan. Always consult with healthcare professionals regarding your physical limitations. A new approach to injury management, combining the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) with the PEACE and LOVE framework—Protection, Elevation, Avoid anti-inflammatories, Compression, Education, Load, Optimism, Vascularization, and Exercise—can empower you in recovery, focusing on research, blood flow, and muscle balance.
Whole-Body Benefits
The lymphatic system relies on movement to function effectively. Unlike the heart-driven circulatory system, the lymphatic system flourishes with increased physical activity, deep breathing, hydration, and restorative sleep, all achievable through exercise. Stimulating lymphatic flow can bolster immune responses, enhance mental well-being, and detoxify the body.
Exercise also serves as a powerful tool for managing anxiety and depression. Engaging in strenuous activities mimics the physiological stress of anxiety-inducing situations, while also promoting the release of feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin. Regular exercise supports brain and heart health, helping to ward off age-related ailments such as Alzheimer’s and high blood pressure.
Stress Management Through Exercise
Exercise can introduce a form of mental and physical stress that paradoxically counters the challenges faced in SOF life. It reduces cortisol levels, which tend to rise during periods of heightened anxiety. Moreover, physical activity fosters communication among bodily systems, enhancing recovery during stressful times. Prolonged sitting can impede these communication pathways, making it more difficult to navigate daily challenges. Exercise acts as a healthy stressor, building resilience and equipping us to face life’s uncertainties.
Seize the Moment
Consider the adage: the best time to invest is yesterday. The ideal moment to establish a consistent movement routine is also in the past—yet today remains a valuable opportunity. Exercise enriches your life, increasing both mobility and strength now and in the future. While the temptation to sleep in or binge-watch another episode may be strong, the long-term consequences, such as chronic illness, limited mobility, or deteriorating mental health, make movement increasingly essential.
The Power of Consistency
You’ve likely heard it often: consistency is crucial. It’s not about what you consume or how much you move today; what matters is the cumulative effect of daily choices on our physical and mental health. In other words, it’s not what you eat today, it’s what you eat every day. It’s not if you moved today, its if you move tomorrow and the day after that. The most challenging tasks that bring satisfaction upon completion tend to yield the greatest benefits. Conversely, pursuits that are easy and pleasurable at the outset may lead to negative outcomes and lack long-term value. A consistent workout regimen can be difficult to maintain, requiring discipline and commitment, especially when motivation wanes. Consistency calls for moving on a regular basis, even if it’s even a 20-minute jog. Less is better than nothing. Start somewhere manageable and build from there.
Plan for Success
As we embark on 2026, it’s an ideal moment to recommit to prioritizing movement in the New Year—starting today! Prepare your gym bag tonight, packing essentials like clothes, shoes, earbuds, a water bottle, and protein powder. Pack various strength bands for travel to workout in your room if the hotel lacks a gym. This way, you’ll eliminate any excuses for skipping the gym, trail, or yoga studio after work.
Seize this opportunity to creatively integrate consistent movement into your daily routine. Carve out dedicated time for yourself and make a conscious decision to prioritize your health. If you need an additional motivation, consider doing it for your family and friends. Your active lifestyle can inspire them to stay active as well, helping you all become the best versions of yourselves—both mentally and physically.
At Operation Healing Forces, movement is more than exercise—it’s a pathway to connection, resilience, and healing. Through therapeutic retreats, wellness programming, and shared experiences, OHF creates space for Special Operations Forces families to move, reset, and grow stronger together. Prioritizing movement is one of the many ways bonds are built, health is supported, and long-term well-being is strengthened.
References:
https://www.apa.org/topics/exercise-fitness/stress
